Dramatic price hikes across several food sectors have been the norm in the past 18 months, to the extent that a box of 10 chicken nuggets from a fast-food outlet is now cheaper than a lettuce.

The cost of vegetables has risen a staggering 12.7 per cent, and beef and veal by 12.1 per cent, in the past year alone, prompting a warning to the federal government by Dietitians Australia.

CEO Robert Hunt told Liam Bartlett on 6PR Mornings the nation’s diet-related health crisis will get worse, as families struggled to afford fresh food.

“This has been around for some time, and Australia is one of the most food-secure countries on the globe,” he said.

“We make more food, and we produce more food than we need. So why is this happening?”

Hunt urged the government devise a new national nutrition policy, with the last one back in 1992.

“As a result over those 30 years, every metric you can think of in the nutrition space has gone north.”

Independent Grocers Association president John Cummings said prices had “gone through the roof” but there were cheaper alternatives for families than fast food, especially if they shopped around for weekly supermarket and grocery specials.

Press PLAY below to hear more on supermarket prices and our nutrition fails