School of Sport and Recreation, Human Potential Centre, Faculty of Health and Environmental Sciences, Auckland University of Technology, Auckland, New Zealand.
Nutr Diet. 2020 Apr;77(2):283-291. doi: 10.1111/1747-0080.12534. Epub 2019 Apr 24.
A low-carbohydrate, healthy-fat (LCHF) dietary approach has been demonstrated as an effective strategy for improving metabolic health; however, it is often criticised for being more expensive than following a dietary approach guided by the national, Ministry of Health nutrition guidelines. This study compared the cost of these two nutritionally replete dietary approaches for one day for a family of four.
In this descriptive case study, one-day meal plans were designed for a hypothetical family of four representing the average New Zealand (NZ) male and female weight-stable adult and two adolescent children. National documented heights, a healthy body mass index range (18.5-25.0 kg/m ), and a 1.7-activity factor was used to estimate total energy requirements using the Schofield equation. Total daily costs were compared based on food prices from a popular Auckland supermarket. Meal plans were analysed for their nutritional adequacy using FoodWorks 8 dietary analysis software against national Australian and NZ nutrient reference value thresholds.
The total daily costs were $43.42 (national guidelines) and $51.67 (LCHF) representing an $8.25 difference, or $2.06 per person, with the LCHF meal plan being the costlier option.
We consider this increased cost for an LCHF approach to be negligible. In practice, less costly food items with similar nutrition qualities can be substituted to reduce costs further should this be a goal. The LCHF approach should therefore not be disregarded as a viable dietary approach for improving health outcomes, based on its perceived expense.
低碳水化合物、健康脂肪（LCHF）饮食法已被证明是改善代谢健康的有效策略；然而，它通常因其比遵循卫生部营养指南指导的饮食法更昂贵而受到批评。本研究比较了这两种营养充足的饮食法在一天内对四口之家的成本。
在这项描述性案例研究中，为一个代表新西兰（NZ）平均男性和女性体重稳定成年人以及两名青少年的四口之家设计了一天的膳食计划。使用 Schofield 方程，根据全国记录的身高、健康体重指数范围（18.5-25.0 kg/m ）和 1.7-活动系数，估算总能量需求。根据一家受欢迎的奥克兰超市的食品价格比较总日成本。使用 FoodWorks 8 饮食分析软件分析膳食计划的营养充足性，根据澳大利亚和新西兰国家营养素参考值阈值进行分析。
总日成本分别为 43.42 美元（国家指南）和 51.67 美元（LCHF），相差 8.25 美元，或每人 2.06 美元，LCHF 膳食计划成本更高。
我们认为 LCHF 方法的这种增加成本是微不足道的。实际上，如果这是一个目标，可以用成本更低但营养质量相似的食物代替，以进一步降低成本。因此，不应因 LCHF 方法被认为费用较高而忽视其作为改善健康结果的可行饮食方法。
