Adopting a plant-based diet minimally increased food costs in WHEL Study.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the cost of adopting a plant-based diet.


METHODS
Breast cancer survivors randomized to dietary intervention (n=1109) or comparison (n=1145) group; baseline and 12-month data on diet and grocery costs.


RESULTS
At baseline, both groups reported similar food costs and dietary intake. At 12 months, only the intervention group changed their diet (vegetable-fruit: 6.3 to 8.9 serv/d.; fiber: 21.6 to 29.8 g/d; fat: 28.2 to 22.3% of E). The intervention change was associated with a significant increase of $1.22/ person/week (multivariate model, P=0.027).


CONCLUSIONS
A major change to a plant-based diet was associated with a minimal increase in grocery costs.
Hyder
Joseph A
JA
Moores UCSD Cancer Center, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093-00901, USA.
Thomson
Cynthia A
CA
Natarajan
Loki
L
Madlensky
Lisa
L
Pu
Minya
M
Emond
Jennifer
J
Kealey
Sheila
S
Rock
Cheryl L
CL
Flatt
Shirley W
SW
Pierce
John P
JP
D000328:Adult; D001943:Breast Neoplasms; D003365:Costs and Cost Analysis; D004032:Diet / Q000191:economics*; D004043:Dietary Fiber; D005260:Female; D005638:Fruit / Q000191:economics*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D014675:Vegetables / Q000191:economics*