'Time Costs' Affect Women's Food Choice, Australia

The excusinators are working overtime.

"Women may eat less healthy food if they're short of time and not confident in the kitchen, according to a new Deakin University study which looked at the food choices of women on lower incomes.

The study found that low income women think preparing healthy food takes too much time, and have trouble convincing their families to eat well, which may lead them to choose less healthy foods and put them at risk of poor health."

There are no "healthy" foods.

There is eating healthily.

"Addressing the Dietitians Association of Australia (DAA) national conference at the Gold Coast this week, Dr Inglis said people on lower incomes are more likely to fall short of the recommended intake of fruit and vegetables, and are more likely to eat a diet higher in fat and added sugar.

'This puts them on the fast track to diseases like type 2 diabetes and heart disease,' said Dr Inglis. To gain confidence in the kitchen she recommends focussing (sic) on food that is quick and easy to prepare, but cheap and healthy, such as lean meat and vegetable casseroles, and jacket potatoes topped with kidney beans and chopped salad vegetables. And she said health professionals need to consider time issues when providing dietary advice to patients."

It is not about time.

It is not about the food.

It is about Calories in, Calories out.

No more, no less.