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Public release date: 9-Jul-2013[ | E-mail |
Share ] Contact: Charlotte Seidman
eAJPM@ucsd.edu
858-534-9340
Elsevier Health Sciences
Study published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine concludes
Failure to consider public health in the formulation of agricultural policy has compromised the American nutritional environment by promoting the production and consumption of unhealthy foods
San Diego, CA, July 9, 2013 Agricultural subsidies are responsible for making those processed and energy-dense foods that contribute to the American epidemic of obesity the most affordable options for consumers, concludes a new study led by Dr. Mark J. Eisenberg, a cardiologist and epidemiologist at the Lady Davis Institute at the Jewish General Hospital in Montreal. As Congress debates a new Farm Bill that will determine agricultural policy for the next five years, it is critical that public health be factored into legislation that will define the country's nutritional environment.
"Tackling the policies that translate into food production and availability could be the most widespread preventive measure to address the obesity epidemic," according to Caroline Franck, lead author of the paper published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.
While many factors contribute to obesity, the ready availability and low cost of unhealthy foods in comparison with healthy alternatives are crucial. Indeed, obesity has been closely associated with poverty. Grocery stores and restaurants sell foods made from cheap commodities at lower prices, and commodities used in high fat and sweetened foods are artificially cheap because government subsidies have made the crops used to produce them lucrative to grow.
Citing statistics from 2004, the study notes that 96% of American cropland is dominated by eight main crops, including soybean and corn. The former is the source of 70% of the fats and oils consumed by Americans, while the latter is a high calorie component of soft drinks, fruit drinks, canned fruits, condiments, baked goods, and ice cream, all of which contribute to obesity.
Recognizing that farm subsidies are an important safety net for a volatile industry, Franck and her co-authors propose that agriculture policy take public health into account when identifying how they ought to be dispensed. They recommend investing in sustainable agriculture that emphasizes biodiversity, quality foods, optimizing non-renewable resources, and sustaining the economic viability of farmers. Farmers should be encouraged to grow fruits and vegetables in place of produce used for sweeteners and hydrogenated oils.
"A successful reorganization of the American food environment will require commitment to mutually supportive interventions affecting food availability, price, marketing, and health education, at the local, state, and federal levels of government," Franck wrote. "A revision of agricultural priorities is in order: public health interventions will remain limited in their impact until they can inform decisions that are made at every level of the American food chain, from growers to consumers."
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"Agricultural Subsidies and the American Obesity Epidemic" by Caroline Franck, Sonia M. Grandi, and Mark J. Eisenberg is available online as of July 9, 2013 at http://www.ajpmonline.org and in print in the September issue of the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.
[ | E-mail | Share ] ?
AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
Public release date: 9-Jul-2013[ | E-mail |
Share ] Contact: Charlotte Seidman
eAJPM@ucsd.edu
858-534-9340
Elsevier Health Sciences
Study published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine concludes
Failure to consider public health in the formulation of agricultural policy has compromised the American nutritional environment by promoting the production and consumption of unhealthy foods
San Diego, CA, July 9, 2013 Agricultural subsidies are responsible for making those processed and energy-dense foods that contribute to the American epidemic of obesity the most affordable options for consumers, concludes a new study led by Dr. Mark J. Eisenberg, a cardiologist and epidemiologist at the Lady Davis Institute at the Jewish General Hospital in Montreal. As Congress debates a new Farm Bill that will determine agricultural policy for the next five years, it is critical that public health be factored into legislation that will define the country's nutritional environment.
"Tackling the policies that translate into food production and availability could be the most widespread preventive measure to address the obesity epidemic," according to Caroline Franck, lead author of the paper published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.
While many factors contribute to obesity, the ready availability and low cost of unhealthy foods in comparison with healthy alternatives are crucial. Indeed, obesity has been closely associated with poverty. Grocery stores and restaurants sell foods made from cheap commodities at lower prices, and commodities used in high fat and sweetened foods are artificially cheap because government subsidies have made the crops used to produce them lucrative to grow.
Citing statistics from 2004, the study notes that 96% of American cropland is dominated by eight main crops, including soybean and corn. The former is the source of 70% of the fats and oils consumed by Americans, while the latter is a high calorie component of soft drinks, fruit drinks, canned fruits, condiments, baked goods, and ice cream, all of which contribute to obesity.
Recognizing that farm subsidies are an important safety net for a volatile industry, Franck and her co-authors propose that agriculture policy take public health into account when identifying how they ought to be dispensed. They recommend investing in sustainable agriculture that emphasizes biodiversity, quality foods, optimizing non-renewable resources, and sustaining the economic viability of farmers. Farmers should be encouraged to grow fruits and vegetables in place of produce used for sweeteners and hydrogenated oils.
"A successful reorganization of the American food environment will require commitment to mutually supportive interventions affecting food availability, price, marketing, and health education, at the local, state, and federal levels of government," Franck wrote. "A revision of agricultural priorities is in order: public health interventions will remain limited in their impact until they can inform decisions that are made at every level of the American food chain, from growers to consumers."
###
"Agricultural Subsidies and the American Obesity Epidemic" by Caroline Franck, Sonia M. Grandi, and Mark J. Eisenberg is available online as of July 9, 2013 at http://www.ajpmonline.org and in print in the September issue of the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.
[ | E-mail | Share ] ?
AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
Source: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2013-07/ehs-ufs070313.php
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![Check Out Student Work from the First-Ever 3D Blitz Event [Video]](http://www.fullsailblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/3d-blitz-2013.jpg)
Matthew Ullrey, Computer Animation:?My animation had the themes pre-historic, resisting temptation, and feeling from a?large object. I modeled and animated a caveman who walks by a large nest with a dinosaur egg. He gets excited, but then waves his hands as it to ward the temptation to take it. He then squats down to touch it and the mother dinosaur appears and he trips while trying to get away. The most challenging part was the time management on each portion of the pipeline, especially the character modeling. It was fun and rewarding, and the social aspect of meeting other students in different stages of the program was very nice.?
Ryan Abriani, Computer Animation: ?The theme I drew was horror and the action I picked was someone getting hit by a car. I started brainstorming what I wanted to happen, and since we only had 24 hours I had to move fast. I wanted to make a simple environment, but give good detail to the animation and actions. The most challenge part was building a good, quick rig with effective controls to make the animation phase easier. I lost four hours going back to my rig and adding more controls. The funnest part was laughing with friends, making new ones, and watching everyone?s submissions. If you compare my original 3D Foundations project that took me a month, and the one from the Blitz, there is a definite improvement in my overall skills and workflow.?
What achievement are you most proud of?: Providing students hands-on experience they were able to use to launch themselves into their careers.