Around 1/3 of the U.S. (according to the CDC) is considered obese. I understand the questions and concerns of the increasing issue of obesity in our country, and there is no (that I'm aware of) end-all answer to the questions. I understand the concerns because I've struggled with my weight and food for all my life.
Is the food industry to blame for the increasing epidemic of obesity in our society today?
As consumers, we have the right to know the information about our food and how it affects our health. We are lucky to live in a country that supports the freedom of choice within our food industry. Our choices should be protected and celebrated. My family's food choices may not be the same choices because of our lifestyle and budget as my neighbor's choices, but we should support each other in our right to choose.
Maybe it's an issue of being misguided in our education efforts in healthy diets. Again, I don't think there is an end-all answer here because we are all built differently and require different caloric and nutrient needs daily. However, instead of blaming the food industry for this epidemic, maybe we should do a better job of educating ourselves on proper nutrition. This needs collaboration from everyone involved, from the consumer, food companies, health educators, policy makers and the farmers. Instead of working against each other all the time, why aren't we working together to help solve the problem?
Whether you choose to be a vegan, eat organic or conventional or buy from the farmers' market or supermarket, we all have the right to know that our food is being raised responsibly and is wholesome for our families. As a farmer, I can assure you that we take great care in producing safe, affordable and healthy food for everyone. Farmers want to do these things because they are feeding their families the same food you're buying. We only want to feed our family the best, so we're striving to produce the best.
Fixing the obesity epidemic isn't going to be solved overnight, and it's going to take participation from everyone involved. We need insightful leadership from the policy makers, farmers, health educators, and all food companies. Let's start working together, instead of falling apart.
What are your thoughts on working towards a healthier country?