For this study, we calculated three price metrics for each of the 4,439 foods
reported to be consumed by adults in the 2003-04 NHANES: (1) food
energy price or price per calorie ($/calorie), (2) price per edible weight
($/100 edible gram units), and (3) price per average portion ($/average
portion). Our comparison of these metrics shows that the metric used can
affect the conclusion as to whether healthier foods carry a higher price tag
than less healthy foods. Regardless of the metric used, the analysis makes
clear that it is not possible to conclude that healthy foods are more expensive
than less healthy foods. Much depends on the specific foods compared. In
particular, we find that: