Food choice in low income populations – A review

• Income level is a major barrier to increasing fruit and vegetables in the diet.
• Family and social environments help explain the high incidence of childhood obesity.
• Insecurity and stress can be related to increase in obesity rates.
• In-depth interviews allowed covering the multidimensional experience of food choice.
• In food targeted at low income populations acceptability has often not been measured appropriately.

The vast majority of publications on food acceptability and behavior have considered middle- or high-income populations. However, there is research focused on low-income populations which deserves attention considering that many millions worldwide suffer undernutrition and/or food insecurity. The objective of this review is to highlight what the authors considered to be the most relevant research in the area to thus bring attention to this sensitive area which requires further research. Although there is a certain overlap, the review is classified in the following areas: fruits and vegetables, obesity, food choice, indigenous populations, development of specific food products and, finally, what we consider to be the most promising or necessary research in the field of food choice in low-income populations.