While waiting to get my car inspected, I overheard one of the employees of the automobile repair shop talking to a customer about the high price of food in this country. I ran across the following chart in the fall issue of Heifer International's World Ark magazine that puts food prices into perspective. Below is a list that gives the percentage of the people's total expenditure towards food in several countries, including the U.S. Here's how it breaks down:
It is hard to believe that even in France food is twice as expensive as in the United States. However, one can see the correlation between food price and obesity. France has an obesity rate of less than 12%, whereas the obesity rate in the United States is almost 34%. So, while we might be saving money on food, the trade off is that we're not saving our waists.
- Azerbaijan 46.9%
- Pakistan 45.5%
- Kenya 44.9%
- Ukraine 42.1%
- Cameroon 38.4%
- India 35.4%
- China 32.9%
- Peru 29.0%
- Russia 28.0%
- Mexico 24.0%
- Japan 14.2%
- France 13.5%
- United States 6.9%
(Photo source: http://www.sxc.hu/photo/546207)
2 comments:
I always like to look at world gas prices compared to the US to put things in perspective.
Did my monthly grocery shopping yesterday + shopped the way I like to eat, just for me, for no one else. Still buying good quality organic foods my total bill was less than 1/2 what it had been previously even with a noticeable increase in a lot of staple items (like TP up .50). I love shopping for ingredients.
Shona, comparing gas prices is a good idea.
I want to get in the habit of monthly grocery shopping as most of the things I buy at the grocery store are non-perishables. Will require better planning on my part. I've started weekly menu planning which helps.
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