This publication, developed by the True Price Foundation and Impact Institute, presents a method to estimate the health-related spillover costs of food consumption, a key component in determining the true price of food.
The method was created as a proof of concept within the project The True Cost of Food: Alternative mechanisms to support local food procurement by public agencies in New York State, supported by Cornell University and The Rockefeller Foundation. It models the health impacts of food groups such as fruits, vegetables, and sugar-sweetened beverages, and estimates their associated costs per 100 grams of consumption using both cost-of-illness and value-of-statistical-life approaches.
While developed in the context of New York State’s demographics and dietary patterns, the methodology is adaptable and contributes to broader efforts to quantify the true cost of food. It is particularly relevant for governments, institutions, and food system actors working to integrate public health considerations into sustainable food procurement and policy design.
Disclaimer:
This publication was supported by an agreement with Cornell University, under Prime Agreement 2022 FOD 003 from The Rockefeller Foundation. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of Cornell University nor those of the Sponsor.