Food Basket Results in Malnutrition

Feb. 3, 2011

A Sverdlovsk region student suffered malnutrition and was unable to get up from his bed after trying to live for one month on the state-approved minimum food basket, he told Interfax at a press conference Thursday.

The food basket, calculated by authorities, is considered the minimal amount of food an adult citizen requires for healthy living.

In Sverdlovsk region, the basket is currently priced at 2,632 rubles ($89) a month.

Vitaly Nikishin, who tried to live on the sum for 31 days, lost 2.5 kilograms, said he developed “serious health problems” and could not leave his bed by the end of the experiment.

A spokesman for the regional government pledged at the conference to recalculate the price and contents of the food basket more often.

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