Family income, food prices, and household purchases of fruits and vegetables in Brazil

• Autor(a) principal: Claro, Rafael Moreira
• Data de Publicação: 2010
• Outros Autores: Monteiro, Carlos Augusto
• Tipo de documento: Artigo
• Idioma: por; eng
• Título da fonte: Revista de Saúde Pública
• Texto Completo: https://www.revistas.usp.br/rsp/article/view/32858
• topic: Alimentos; Economia; Renda; Consumo de Alimentos; Frutas; Hortaliças; Inquéritos sobre Dietas; Preços; Alimentos; Economía; Renta; Consumo de Alimentos; Frutas; Hortalizas; Encuestas sobre Dietas; Precios; Food; economics; Income; Food Consumption; Fruit; Greens; Diet Surveys; Prices

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the influence of family income and food prices on the participation of fruits and vegetables in the food purchases of Brazilian households. METHODS: Data analyzed refers to the Household Budget Survey conducted by the Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatística on a probabilistic sample of 48,470 Brazilian households between 2002 and 2003. Fruit and vegetable participation in total food purchases was expressed as a percentage of total calories purchased and as calories from fruit and vegetables adjusted for total calories purchased. A multiple regression analysis was employed to estimate elasticity coefficients, controlling for sociodemographic variables and price of other foods. RESULTS: Fruit and vegetable participation in total food purchases increased as the price of these foods decreased, or as income increased. A 1% decrease in the price of fruit and vegetables would increase their participation by 0.79%, whereas a 1% increase in family income would increase participation by 0.27%. The effect of income tended to be smaller among higher income strata. CONCLUSIONS: Reducing the price of fruit and vegetables, either by supporting their production or through fiscal measures, is a promising public policy instrument, capable of increasing the participation of these foods in the diet of the Brazilian population.