Fact Sheet

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Recommended: Understanding the socioeconomic influences on Health

Nutrition is important for achieving optimal heath (Irwin, Ng, Rush, Nguyen, & He, 2007). Poor nutrition can lead to obesity, heart disease, diabetes, anemia, depression, and cancer, among others chronic diseases (Milway, Chan, Stapleton, & Cook, 2010; Irwin et al, 2007). A clinical review by Dunne (2010) states that nutrition also helps maintain and prevent complications with mental health. The cost of nutritious foods makes it challenging for some individuals, and families to eat healthy foods (Palermo, 2011). Those with low or decreased income may find this especially difficult. Foods with less nutritious value are cheaper and do not undergo frequent price increases (Palermo, 2011). Having a nutritious diet is important in managing, and maintaining health (Government of Canada, 2013). Individuals with lower incomes have decreased self-rated health, high prevalence of disease, decreased life expectancy, and decreased quality of food and shelter (Statistics Canada, 2013). Low income is determined through a comparison of household income to household consumption patterns (Statistics Canada, 2013). Statistics Canada (2013) reported 523,370 low-income single parent families in Canada in 2011. Single women with children made up 23% of the population with low-income (Statistics Canada, 2013).
According to Health Canada (2008) other factors contributing to poor health for people with low incomes include social exclusion, stress and decreased trust. Individuals with low-income may not be able to involve themselves in leisure activities, education, and health services outside of Canada’s publicly insured health care system, further exacerbating poor health outcomes (Health Canada, 2008).
In Canada 3.7 ...

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...g and mental health. Nursing & Residential Care, 12(4), 165-168.
Government of Canada. (2013). Healthier grocery shopping. Retrieved from healthycanadians.gc.ca/eating-nutrition/healthy-eating
Health Canada. (2008). Overcome barriers. Food and Nutrition. Retrieved from www.hc.sc.gc.ca/fn.
Irwin, J., Ng, V., Rush, T., Nguyen, C., & He, M. (2007). Can food banks sustain nutrient requirements? Canadian Journal of Public Health, 98(1), 17-19.
Milway, J., Chan, K., Stapleton, J., & Cook, B. (2010). The poor still pay more: Challenges low income families face in consuming a nutritious diet. Institute for Competitiveness & Prosperity, pp. 5-18.
Palermo, C. (2011). The cost of nutritious food: A determinant of health. Nutrition & Dietetics, 68(4), 246-247. doi:10.1111/j.1747- 0080.2011.01560.x
Statistics Canada. (2013). Low income. Retrieved from www.statcan.gc.ca/search

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