In the year 2000, twice as
many children were classified as overweight or obese
when compared to children’s weight in 1970. As the population continues to
gain weight, to become less active, and to eat a diet high in empty calories
and
low in fruits and vegetables, the Foundation message takes on heightened
significance in advocating better health through better nutrition and
diet. Our message has reached millions.
Only one in five American kids
eat the 5 or more servings that will protect their lives and health when
eaten every day. Equally alarming is the fact that less
than 10% of all Americans of any age eat the recommended five servings of fruits
and vegetables on any given day while 10% percent of U.S. adults have no servings
at all on any
given day!
Current studies indicate that fully 61% of adult
Americans are classified as overweight or obese, rising
nearly 60% since 1991 alone.
Health Care Costs
Annual health care costs for diet-related illnesses
have soared to more than $250 billion. If Americans ate five or more servings
of fruits and vegetables daily, at least $20 billion annually could be
saved in costs related to cancer alone. And, the U.S. Department of Agriculture
(USDA)
says, better nutrition could reduce costs associated with all diet-related
illnesses by $71 billion each year - enough savings to nearly fund the entire
USDA budget, including food stamp and school feeding programs.
Ironically,
USDA
spending to promote fruit and vegetable consumption is not even consistent
with the
emphasis on fruits and vegetables in the USDA-designed
Food Guide Pyramid. The economic facts are clear. The
effect of poor diets on human lives - on children,
families, and individuals who, each year, will wage a
grueling war with cancer
and other diseases - is
immeasurable.
Join us in making the healthy choice the easy choice!
