Preventing food waste and promoting healthier eating among lower-income families in industrialized nations

A wide body of research shows that lower income is highly correlated with obesity in industrialized nations. Research indicates this is largely due to lack of availability and affordability of healthier foods for lower-income families. In addition, lower-income families show considerable anxiety over buying healthier foods, as they are often rejected by children and potentially lead to costly food waste. Lower-income families face multiple stressors that thwart the ability to manage this tension, including economic constraints, the need to buffer stress with positive emotions, and juggling multiple responsibilities. In this chapter, we examine key issues faced by lower-income families and offer research-based solutions.