ABSTRACT
This chapter explains how household and community economics are interdependent with sustainable food systems. ‘Nutritional economics’ is a concept that deals with the connections between economic systems, nutritional status and food security, and how changes in the former affect the latter. Economists see nutrition as an important input to economic growth and development. Food as a commodity is traded globally and, as such, is an integral part of the macro-economics that contributes to a country’s overall gross domestic product (GDP). Economic factors play a crucial role within house holds and for individuals and affects personal nutrition status and health. A livelihood is sustainable when it can cope with stresses and shocks, where capabilities and assets are maintained and the opportunities can be forwarded to the next generation. The link between socioeconomic status and the purchase of more nutritious foods, as judged by diet diversity and overall health, is significant.
