On average, people's diets today have improved over earlier generations, but for a variety of reasons, many people are still not "eating healthily". There is a clear link between income and diet. While high-income families may afford to spend money on healthier foods - low fat milk, wholemeal bread, fresh fish and fresh fruit and vegetables - low income families tend to eat cheaper more energy rich foods such as fat and sugar, and therefore less of the essential nutrients.
This indicates that people on low incomes have a higher chance of dying prematurely or suffering from high blood pressure, heart disease or stroke - all diet-related diseases.
Lack of cooking skills can affect all sectors of society and contributes to food poverty. There is a general lack of cooking skills in the UK. This may be due to the declining emphasis on cooking skills and the increasing promotion and advertisement of ready-made meals which can have less nutrient value. The result is that fewer people are buying fresh meat and vegetables and an increasing number rely on over-processed, pre-cooked supermarket food.
Lack of access to local food can be a problem, particularly for those on low incomes. Local availability of fresh, raw ingredients can help to address some of these issues. Locally produced, unpackaged food is often cheaper than similar products in a supermarket.
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