Alarming trends call for action to define the future role of food in nation’s health

The cost of nutritious food and the lack of access to it are of significant concern to U.S. consumers. That’s according to a new national poll of public attitudes on food and nutrition conducted by Zogby Analytics on behalf of Research!America and the American Heart Association. Nearly 7 in 10 (68%) respondents recognize healthy eating habits as an important factor in improving a person’s chance for a long and healthy life. Yet more than half (53%) say the United States is not making enough progress for nutritious food to be more accessible and affordable.

“Healthy, nutritious food not only leads to better overall health – it can be a critical tool to treat, manage and prevent chronic disease,” said Kevin Volpp, M.D., Ph.D., American Heart Association volunteer, scientific lead for the Association’s food is medicine initiative Health Care by Food™ and founding director of the Center for Health Incentives and Behavioral Economics at the University of Pennsylvania’s Perelman School of Medicine and the Wharton School. “Cross-sector collaboration and research-backed innovation in public and private sector programs are needed to stem the combined tidal wave of obesity and nutrition insecurity, threatening the health of millions of people in the U.S. now and for decades to come.”