Abstract
Objective
This paper examines the affordability of a basic nutritious diet for low-income families in Nova Scotia over three developmental periods (pregnancy, perinatal, early infancy) using economic simulations that include food costing and secondary data.
Methods
The cost of a nutritious food basket was determined from a random sample of grocery stores in Nova Scotia (n = 21), along with the cost of infant formula (n = 29) and prenatal vitamins and vitamin D drops (n = 15), from randomly selected pharmacies. The monthly funds remaining to purchase a basic nutritious diet were calculated for several household scenarios, after deducting essential living expenses from net incomes. Each scenario included either a pregnant woman or a breastfed or formula-fed infant at 3 months, and either Income Assistance, Federal Maternity Benefits based on minimum wage employment, or a $15/h wage.
Results
Income Assistance and Federal Maternity Benefits, based on minimum wage, were inadequate to purchase a basic nutritious diet during pregnancy or in early infancy whether breastfeeding or formula feeding. All household scenarios faced significant potential monthly deficits if they were to purchase a basic nutritious diet.
Conclusion
Minimum wage and income security programs are inadequate for the purchase of a basic nutritious diet throughout the prenatal, perinatal, and early infancy periods in Nova Scotia, emphasizing risk of food insecurity as a critical issue for young families facing income constraints. Adequate maternity protection is required to support access to food and nutrition essential for maternal and infant health.
Résumé
Objectif
Cet article examine l’abordabilité d’un régime alimentaire nutritif de base pour les familles à faible revenue en Nouvelle-Écosse au cours de trois périodes de développement (la grossesse, périnatale, petite enfance) utilisant des simulations économiques qui comprennent des données secondaires et le calcul des coûts des aliments.
Méthodes
Le coût d’un panier à provisions nutritif a été déterminé à partir d’un échantillon aléatoire des magasins d’alimentations en Nouvelle-Écosse (n=21), ainsi que le coût des préparations pour nourrissons (n=29), et les vitamines prénatales et les gouttes de vitamine D (n=15), à partir des pharmacies sélectionnées au hasard. Les moyens mensuels qui restent pour acheter un régime alimentaire nutritif de base ont été calculés pour plusieurs scénarios concernant les ménages, après déduction des frais de subsistance de base des revenus nets. Chaque scénario comprenait une femme enceinte, ou un nourrisson allaité ou nourri au lait maternisé à trois mois, et l’aide au revenue, les prestations de maternité fédérales basé sur l’emploi au salaire minimum, ou un salaire de 15 $ l’heure.
Résultats
L’aide au revenu et les prestations de maternité fédérales basées sur l’emploi au salaire minimum étaient insuffisantes pour l’achat d’un régime alimentaire nutritif de base pendant la grossesse ou la petite enfance, qu’ils soient allaités ou nourris au lait maternisé. Tous les scénarios concernant les ménages ont rencontré les déficits mensuels potentiels importants s’ils devaient acheter un régime alimentaire nutritif de base.
Conclusion
Le salaire minimum et les programmes de sécurité du revenu sont insuffisants pour l’achat d’un régime alimentaire nutritif de base tout au long des périodes prénatales, périnatales et de la petite enfance en Nouvelle-Écosse, soulignant le risqué de l’insécurité alimentaire comme un enjeu crucial pour les jeunes familles qui sont aux prises avec des contraintes de revenu. La protection appropriée de la maternité est nécessaire pour faciliter l’accès à la nourriture et la nutrition essentielles pour la santé maternelle et infantile.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
Explore related subjects
Discover the latest articles, news and stories from top researchers in related subjects.References
Anderson, S. A. (Ed.). (1990). Core indicators of nutritional state for difficult-to-sample populations. The Journal of Nutrition, 120(suppl_11), 1555–1600. https://doi.org/10.1093/jn/120.suppl_11.1555.
Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation. (2015). Rental market report: Nova Scotia highlights. Retrieved May 20, 2019 from https://www.cmhc-schl.gc.ca/odpub/esub/64503/64503_2015_B01.pdf.
Canadian Labour Congress. (2016). Minimum wage stats show we need $15 and fairness across Canada. Canadian Labour Congress. Retrieved May 10, 2017 from https://canadianlabour.ca/news-news-archive-minimum-wage-stats-show-we-need-15-and-fairness-across-canada/.
Cook, J. T., Frank, D. A., Berkowitz, C., Black, M. M., Casey, P. H., Cutts, D. B., Meyers, A. F., Zaldivar, N., Skalicky, A., Levenson, S., Heeren, T., & Nord, M. (2004). Food insecurity is associated with adverse health outcomes among human infants and toddlers. The Journal of Nutrition, 134(6), 1432–1438. https://doi.org/10.1093/jn/134.6.1432.
Frank, L. (2015). Exploring infant feeding practices in food insecure households: what is the real issue? Food and Foodways, 23(3), 186–209. https://doi.org/10.1080/07409710.2015.1066223.
Government of Canada. (2009). Prenatal nutrition guidelines for health professionals—iron contributes to a healthy pregnancy. Retrieved October 15, 2019 from https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/publications/food-nutrition/prenatal-nutrition-guidelines-health-professionals-iron-contributes-healthy-pregnancy-2009.html.
Government of Canada. (2015). Maternity and Parental Benefits [Program descriptions]. Retrieved March 15, 2019 from https://www.canada.ca/en/employment-social-development/programs/ei/ei-list/reports/maternity-parental.html.
Government of Nova Scotia. (2013). Minimum wage: NS labour and advanced education, employment rights. Retrieved October 8, 2015 from https://novascotia.ca/lae/employmentrights/minimumwage.asp.
Government of Nova Scotia. (2015). Employment support and income assistance policy manual from the Nova Scotia Department of Community Services. Retrieved October 9, 2015 from http://novascotia.ca/coms/employment/documents/ESIA_Manual/ESIA_Policy_Manual.pdf.
Grieger, J. A., & Clifton, V. L. (2015). A review of the impact of dietary intakes in human pregnancy on infant birthweight. Nutrients, 7(1), 153–178.
Hartmann, P., & Cregan, M. (2001). Lactogenesis and the effects of insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus and prematurity. The Journal of Nutrition, 131(11), 3016S–3020S. https://doi.org/10.1093/jn/131.11.3016S.
Health Canada. (2009). National Nutritious Food Basket. Retrieved January 30, 2020 from http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/fn-an/surveill/basket-panier/index-eng.php.
Health Canada. (2012). Nutrition for healthy term infants: recommendations from birth to six months. Retrieved March 10, 2019 from https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/canada-food-guide/resources/infant-feeding/nutrition-healthy-term-infants-recommendations-birth-six-months.html.
Health Canada and the Public Health Agency of Canada. (2016). Evaluation of the Community Action Program for Children, Canada Prenatal Nutrition Program and associated activities 2010–2011 to 2014–2015. Retrieved January 30, 2020 from https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/corporate/transparency/corporate-management-reporting/evaluation/2010-2011-2014-2015-evaluation-community-action-program-children-canada-prenatal-nutrition-program-associated-activities.html#t9.
Ivers, L., & Cullen, K. (2011). Food insecurity: Special considerations for women. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 94(6), 1740S–1744S.
Laraia, B., Siega-Riz, A., & Gunderson, C. (2010). Household food insecurity is associated with self-reported pregravid weight status, gestational weight gain, and pregnancy complications. Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, 110(5), 692–701.
Martorell, R. (2017). Improved nutrition in the first 1000 days and adult human capital and health. American Journal of Human Biology, 29(2). https://doi.org/10.1002/ajhb.22952.
Matheson, J., & McIntyre, L. (2014). Women respondents report higher household food insecurity than do men in similar Canadian households. Public Health Nutrition; Cambridge, 17(1), 40–48 http://dx.doi.org.ezproxy.acadiau.ca:2048/10.1017/S136898001300116X.
McKay, L., Mathieu, S., & Doucet, A. (2016). Parental-leave rich and parental-leave poor: inequality in Canadian labour market based leave policies. Journal of Industrial Relations, 58(4), 543–562. https://doi.org/10.1177/0022185616643558.
Meyers, A., & Chawla, N. (2000). Nutrition and the social, emotional and cognitive development of infants and young children. Zero to Three, 21(1), 5–14.
Ministry of Justice. (2017). Employment insurance regulations. Retrieved March 15, 2019 from https://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/regulations/sor-96-332/index.html.
Moore, V. M., Davies, M. J., Wilson, K. J., Worsley, A., & Robinson, J. S. (2004). Dietary composition of pregnant women is related to size of the baby at birth. The Journal of Nutrition; Oxford Academic, 134(7), 1820–1826.
Nova Scotia Department of Community Services (2013). More support for expecting and new mothers. News releases. Retrieved October 9, 2015 from https://novascotia.ca/news/release/?id=20130822004.
Nunnery, D., & Dharod, J. (2015). Prenatal food insecurity: how is it related to pregnancy and birth outcomes among low-income women. The FASEB Journal, 29(1_supplement), 585.5. https://doi.org/10.1096/fasebj.29.1_supplement.585.5.
Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights. (1966). International covenant on economic, social and cultural rights. https://www.ohchr.org/en/professionalinterest/pages/cescr.aspx.
Orr, S. K., Dachner, N., Frank, L., & Tarasuk, V. (2018). Relation between household food insecurity and breastfeeding in Canada. Canadian Medical Association Journal, 190(11), E312–E319. https://doi.org/10.1503/cmaj.170880.
Public Health Agency of Canada. (2002). The Canada Prenatal Nutrition Program: a decade of promoting the health of mothers, babies and communities : HP10–11/2007 - Government of Canada Publications. http://publications.gc.ca/site/eng/9.667085/publication.html.
Rasmussen, K. M., Hilson, J. A., & Kjolhede, C. L. (2001). Obesity may impair lactogenesis II. The Journal of Nutrition, 131(11), 3009S–3011S. https://doi.org/10.1093/jn/131.11.3009S.
Rose-Jacobs, R., Black, M. M., Casey, P. H., Cook, J. T., Cutts, D. B., Chilton, M., Heeren, T., Levenson, S. M., Meyers, A. F., et al. (2008). Household food insecurity: associations with at-risk infant and toddler development. American Academy of Pediatrics, 121(1), 65–72. https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2006-3717.
Skalicky, A., Meyers, A. F., Adams, W. G., Yang, Z., Cook, J. T., & Frank, D. (2006). Child food insecurity and iron deficiency anemia in low-income infants and toddlers in the United States. Maternal and Child Health Journal, 10(2), 177–185. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10995-005-0036-0.
Statistics Canada (2015a). Survey of household spending. Retrieved May 30, 2019 https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/t1/tbl1/en/tv.action?pid=1110022201.
Statistics Canada. (2015b). The Consumer Price Index. Retrieved May 20, 2019 from https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/en/catalogue/62-001-X.
Statistics Canada. (2015c). Technical reference guide for the annual income estimates for census families, Individuals and Seniors: T1 Family File, Final Estimates. https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/72-212-x/72-212-x2017001-eng.ht.
Statistics Canada. (2017). Census in brief: children living in low-income households. Retrieved June 6, 2018 from https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2016/as-sa/98-200-x/2016012/98-200-x2016012-eng.cfm.
Vozoris, N., & Tarasuk, V. (2003). Prenatal and child nutrition programs in relation to food insecurity. Canadian Review of Social Policy, 51, 67–86.
Williams, P. L., Johnson, C. P., Kratzmann, M. L. V., Johnson, C. S. J., & Anderson, B. A. (2006). Can households earning minimum wage in Nova Scotia afford a nutritious diet? Canadian Journal of Public Health, 97(6), 430–434.
Williams, P. L., Watt, C. G., Amero, M., Anderson, B. J., Blum, I., Green-LaPierre, R., Johnson, C. P., & Reimer, D. E. (2012a). Affordability of a nutritious diet for income assistance recipients in Nova Scotia (2002-2010). Canadian Journal of Public Health, 103(3), 183–188.
Williams, P. L., MacAulay, R. B., Anderson, B. J., Barro, K., Gillis, D. E., Johnson, C. P., Langille, L. L., Moran, S., & Reimer, D. E. (2012b). “I would have never thought that I would be in such a predicament”: voices from women experiencing food insecurity in Nova Scotia, Canada. Journal of Hunger & Environmental Nutrition, 7(2–3), 253–270. https://doi.org/10.1080/19320248.2012.704740.
Zaslow, M., Bronte-Tinkew, J., Capps, R., Horowitz, A., Moore, K. A., & Weinstein, D. (2009). Food security during infancy: implications for attachment and mental proficiency in toddlerhood. Maternal and Child Health Journal, 13(1), 66–80. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10995-008-0329-1.
Acknowledgements
This research would not have been possible without the participation of grocery and convenience stores in Nova Scotia, and we are grateful to those that participated. We would also like to thank the members of the Nova Scotia Consumer Food Environment and Participatory Food Costing Research Advisory Committees for their support and advice and to the many staff, students, and partners who have supported various aspects of this research. Special thanks to Kathleen Chan for her work in the construction of the affordability scenarios and to Dr. Ilya Blum for his support with sampling and statistical analysis.
Funding
We would like to acknowledge that this project was commissioned and funded by the Nova Scotia Department of Health and Wellness, and we are grateful for their leadership and financial support to enable this work. We applied the FLAE approach for the sequence of authors.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Ethics declarations
Conflict of Interest
The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.
Additional information
Publisher’s note
Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
Appendix
Appendix
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Frank, L., Waddington, M., Sim, M. et al. The cost and affordability of growing and feeding a baby in Nova Scotia. Can J Public Health 111, 531–542 (2020). https://doi.org/10.17269/s41997-020-00306-5
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.17269/s41997-020-00306-5
Keywords
- Maternal and infant health
- Infant food insecurity
- Social welfare policy
- Breastfeeding
- Formula feeding
- Food costing