Ignorance is not the reason why so many people reject a balanced diet

New research makes clear that low-income families have the knowledge about good quality food and nutrition, but lack the resources to purchase it, writes Ian Hamilton

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Many of us are guilty of knowing what we need to do to be healthy but failing to do it, including eating a balanced diet.

This is not a choice all of us enjoy, however. Healthier foods, including fruit and vegetables, can cost more than less nutritious options, which often go further and last longer. It means that accessing healthy meals can be a challenge for low-income households.

As if this weren’t bad enough, a troubling narrative has taken hold in recent years, suggesting that all we have to do is “educate” the poor about their ill-informed diet. Once they see the error of their ways, the argument goes, they’ll make the right choice.