Children living in the lowest income households are less likely to eat the recommended amount of fruits and vegetables – 5 times or more per day – than are those living in the highest income households.

Those proportions are 42% and 53% respectively.

Fresh fruits and vegetables are often more expensive than other foods – therefore are less accessible to families living with low income. Food prices are increasing, resulting in Canadian families having to pay more for nutritious food. This has the greatest impact on people living in low income.¹ Research also indicates that lower-income areas tend to have higher concentrations of fast-food restaurants and convenience stores. Many people cannot afford cars and have little money for food – therefore they are not likely to take a taxi to a grocery store to buy food, but will buy cheaper and less nutritious foods in these outlets.²

¹Wiebe K and Distasio J. Confronting the Illusion: Developing a Method to Identify Food Mirages and Food Deserts in Winnipeg. The IUS In-Brief Series. Institute of Urban Studies. University of Winnipeg. June 2016.
²Retail Food Environments in Canada. Canadian Public Health Association. Vol 107 (2016). Supplement 1.