Is “Cheap Food Policy” Contributing to Childhood Obesity in MN?
MINNEAPOLIS – Childhood obesity is at the top of First Lady Michelle Obama’s agenda, and a new article in the Health Affairs Journal traces the role that so-called “cheap food policy” plays in the problem. It describes current United States agriculture policies as promoting the overproduction of certain commodities, such as corn and soybeans, which are processed with other ingredients into calorie-rich but nutrient-poor snacks. According to Dr. David Wallinga, who wrote the article, this has resulted in too many empty calories for Americans, particularly children. Wallinga is director of the Food and Health Program at the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy. He says “cheap calorie policy” has created a broken food system and resulted in epidemic childhood obesity. “We have a ‘two-fer’ – we can both do a better job at feeding the hungry population, but also on getting them healthier foods. If we do that, we’re going to make the whole population healthier – and less hungry as well
