While every parent knows that a healthy diet is an important part of his or her children's health and wellness, the temptation to slip into a fast food restaurant for a bite can be a compelling alternative to preparing a meal. This kind of quick fix may seem fine in the short term, but it can set a precedent that leads to long-term problems like child obesity. <\/p>\n
Worse, many inexpensive, easy-to-prepare foods are also high in calories, but low in nutrition. A recent Dartmouth College study found that when shoppers have to choose between quality or price, they will regularly buy their groceries based on cost<\/a>. This was usually true regardless of their education, nutritional knowledge or income level.<\/p>\n "Even with all good intentions, with our concern for nutrition, when we see something that's too expensive and we can't afford it, we don't buy it. When we see something on sale, we buy it, even though it may not be very good for us," said Kusum Ailawadi, the marketing professor at the Tuck School of Business who led the study. <\/p>\n While many participants in the study regularly exercised and avoided fast food and junk food, they still ate sugary, high-calorie food like cereal and yogurt that they believed were healthy. <\/p>\n Because of the way price influences grocery purchases, Ailawadi suggested that taxing unhealthy food may encourage consumers to buy more nutritious alternatives. <\/p>\n