Is Healthy Eating Too Expensive?

Do you want to lose weight? You’re not alone. Healthy eating is a goal many people share, but between busy schedules and rising grocery prices, sticking to it can be tough. So tonight, we look at how you can shed those pounds without breaking the bank. Britney Gordon has the story.

 

Britney Gordon, Reporting

Approximately twenty percent of Belize’s population is obese. That’s more than eighty thousand people. More than fifty-six thousand people are overweight. And if you add them both, more than one hundred and thirty thousand people are overweight. The numbers are telling…Belizeans are struggling to manage their weight. And the data includes children. Eighty-seven percent of children between ages five and nine are overweight, So what’s the cause? Well, we asked gym enthusiast Stephen Mossiah who once weighed around three hundred pounds.

 

Stephen Mossiah, Health-Conscious Belizean

“As the saying goes, the gym is about twenty percent in the kitchen is eighty percent. And for me, food was comforting like almost a drug. And you go to food for anything. You stress, you grab a snack, you just sit down and bored, and grab a snack. So I remembered myself. I was telling my girlfriend and even Sabreena, when I remember that I feel embarrassed, but I remember I was like two in the morning. I used to get up, go in my refridge, take out pizza, eating pizza two o’clock in the morning and then go to bed about three or four right after I eat right. So I was on a path of very unhealthy lifestyle and I could have probably, but I keep telling people I would probably have at least diabetes or high blood pressure.”

 

For many, eating heathy means eating costly. And that’s because nutritious meal options can average more than double the price of fast food. This serving of grilled chicken, potatoes and salad costs twelve dollars but a plate of fried chicken and fries may only run you about six dollars. But is it affordable to make a similar meal at home? Prices for fresh meat have increased, according to the Consumer Price Index, while the cost of some vegetables has gone down. Robyn Daly, Technical Advisor for Nutrition at the Belize Ministry of Health and Wellness, says that as food prices continue to change, people should focus on making small adjustments and choosing healthy options that are affordable.

 

Robyn Daly, Technical Advisor for Nutrition, Ministry of Health and Wellness

“I would encourage baby steps. You might not be able to eat healthy foods like vegetables and fruit seven days a week, but if you could do it three, four days a week, and the biggest thing that I believe, and I want this message to be very clear to the public. There is no bad food in my opinion. It’s how you mix your food, your ingredients, how much of it you put on your plate, what you interact in terms of what you mix up with your lifestyle. All of these things play a very big role with how you manage disease, how you manage obesity.”

 

Daly explained that adding fruits and vegetables a few times a week can make a difference but emphasized that watching portion sizes, staying active, and being mindful of how food is prepared plays a major role. Meanwhile, Mossiah shares how he maintains his healthy lifestyle without breaking the bank.

 

Stephen Mossiah

“The main thing I hear many people say in Belize is that, oh, eating healthy is expensive. I mean that might be true. If you go to a certain restaurant and you want healthy, you’ll pay fifty, upwards. But I, myself, I find little hacks. I go to the market. I buy my veggies. I buy my meat. I end up spending fifty dollars on a whole thing of meat, chicken, pork, beef, and that lasts me about two weeks. And then I buy the veggies. I might spend thirty bucks, and it’s not much.”

 

The government has also been working with food vendors to promote healthier food preparation. Campaigns such as “Shake the Habit” encourage fast-food providers to reduce the amount of salt and fat used in meals that thousands of Belizeans consume every day.

 

Robyn Daly

“That targets people, vendors in particular, vendors, chefs, cooks, and those are some of the same people that prepare or fast food. So what we have been doing as a ministry is doing basic nutrition education with them, and I can say up to date, we’ve already impacted over five thousand vendors have been exposed to this video since last year May. We’ve had that conversation with them. So when they do their food handlers training for their food handlers license, they get a very, it is a small video. A short video, but they do get a snippet of how to prepare foods in a healthy way.”

 

Mossiah’s advice for those who wish to take control of their health is simple: do your research and take it at your own pace.

 

Stephen Mossiah

“The easiest way to incorporate and get healthier. Just start, do simple changes. Instead of going to the store and buying a fried chicken, go to Publics and buy the rotisserie . The rotisserie is only seven dollars, still not expensive, that expensive. Make small changes.”

 

While eating unhealthily can be convenient, a nutritious diet is achievable. The Ministry of Health and Wellness has shared simple food options that are both low cost and nutritious available right here in Belize. Britney Gordon for News Five.

 

Attention readers: This online newscast is a direct transcript of our evening television broadcast. When speakers use Kriol, we have carefully rendered their words using a standard spelling system.

 

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