(March 8, 2010 - Insidermedicine)

Increasing the price of junk food may make it less tempting, according to research published in the March 9 issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine.

Here are some tips for a healthy diet:

•    Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables that are prepared with little or no added fat, sugar, or salt

•    Choose whole fruits and vegetables over juice

•    Choose whole grains over white or processed grains

Researchers from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill looked at the dietary habits of over 5,000 adults aged 18 to 30 over a 20-year period. They then compared these findings with changes in food prices during the same time period.

As the price of pizza and soda increased, people consumed less of it. For instance, a one dollar increase in the price of either product was associated with eating fewer calories overall as well as with lower body weight and reduced insulin resistance. Increasing both these foods by one dollar resulted in even more dramatic drops in these factors. The authors estimate that an 18% tax soda and pizza alone would result in an average of 56 fewer calories consumed per day, a weight loss of approximately 5 lbs per person per year, and a corresponding drop in obesity-related illness.

Today's research suggests that manipulating the price of junk food may be a way to steer people toward more healthy food choices.