The High Cost of Healthy: How Grocery Prices Shape American Diets and Health

AJMC June 24, 2025
Cameron Santoro, Christina Mattina

Key Takeaways

• Rising costs of healthy foods are pushing Americans towards ultraprocessed alternatives, worsening health disparities and diet quality.
• Lower-income individuals face greater challenges in maintaining a healthy diet due to the increased cost of nutritious foods.
• Ultraprocessed foods are linked to higher risks of mortality, cardiovascular diseases, and certain cancers, necessitating policy interventions.
• Policy changes, including SNAP benefit updates and improved access to fresh foods, are crucial for addressing food insecurity and health disparities.

Rising grocery prices are forcing most Americans to shift toward ultraprocessed foods, leading to increased health risks and exacerbating existing disparities, particularly among underserved communities.

The escalating cost of groceries, particularly healthy options, is forcing a critical shift in American diets toward more...

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