Access to healthy, affordable diets is an urgent global concern, with recent data revealing that 2.8 billion people worldwide were unable to afford a nutritious diet in 2022. The research, conducted by the Food Prices for Nutrition project at Tufts University’s Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy, aims to assess the cost of healthy eating and drive policy solutions to address global nutrition security.
Economist Will Masters, a Professor at the Friedman School and the project’s Principal Investigator, highlights the vast gap in global food access. While progress has been slow, Masters emphasizes that the issue remains “clearly actionable.” He points to actionable steps that could be taken to lower the price of healthy foods, increase nutrition assistance, and make nutritious choices more accessible to all.
One country that has already implemented the findings of this research is Nigeria. In 2020, the Nigerian government began releasing monthly estimates of the cost of a healthy diet, which trade unions have used to advocate for fairer minimum wage policies. Masters believes that securing wages sufficient for workers to afford nutritious food is fundamental to human dignity, and could form the basis for setting more equitable minimum wages.
However, the situation is compounded by global challenges. Masters expresses concern over the long-term impact of U.S. foreign aid cuts and policy changes initiated during the Trump administration, which he believes could significantly undermine global nutrition security. He describes the current climate in Washington as a regression, stating that valuable scientific expertise and trust in evidence-based policy are being dismantled. “The current government is taking 20 steps back,” Masters warns, lamenting the reversal of years of progress.
Despite these setbacks, Masters remains hopeful, calling on global communities to rebuild in solidarity with those most affected by these policies. “We have some years in the wilderness to organize ourselves and think clearly about how to survive this difficult period,” he asserts. Scientific knowledge and collaboration, according to Masters, will be crucial to overcoming these challenges. “Science, discovery, trust, and hope have been key to past improvements,” he states, urging people to continue learning from one another and to prioritize mutual understanding in this challenging time.
For Masters, the path forward lies in maintaining strong bonds of trust and cooperation, noting, “The ability to hear each other, to listen and share, is a magical superpower.” As the world grapples with nutrition insecurity, Masters insists that working together—guided by science and solidarity—is essential to building a healthier, more equitable future.
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