Problems
- Worldwide, diet-related diseases are responsible for 35 million deaths, exceeding smoking-related deaths of “just” 5 to 8 million
- The US is one of most obese countries in the world.
- Obesity is linked to many types of cancer, over 70% of heart disease,, and over 80% of type 2 diabetes
- Since 1980, obesity prevalence among children and adolescents has almost tripled
- Today’s generation of children are predicted to be the first to die at a younger age than their parents due to obesity-related health problems
- More than 90% of US adults with diabetes have type 2
- Type 2 diabetes can lead to disease, blindness, kidney failure, and lower-limb amputations and is appearing earlier than ever before – in people as young as age 10
- 1 in 3 adults are obese
- Between 2018 and 2030, it’s predicted that almost half of all Americans will be obese
- $190 – $215 billion is spent annually on health care costs related to obesity
- 20% of all health care costs are related to obesity
- Healthcare costs are about 42% higher for someone who is obese
- Obesity costs employers more than $73 billion annually
- There is a complete lack of transparency in our food system; pink slime, yellow 5, aspartame, red 40, BHA, partially hydrogenated vegetable oil, all natural vs cage free, pasture raised vs grass fed vs organic, GMO
- Almost 80% of antibiotics sold in the past few years were reserved for livestock and poultry
- Antibiotic-resistant infections kill more Americans annually than AIDS
Solutions
- Research shows that growing food in school improves health, well-being, and employability
- Kids who frequently help prepare meals prefer vegetables about 10% more than those who don’t help
- After planting a garden, 53% of students tested as proficient vs 9% prior to the garden
- 7,175 farmers markets were open for business in 2011, more than double the number in 2002
- Locally grown food grew into a $7 billion business in 2012, up from $4.8 billion in 2008
- 80% of body composition is determined by nutrition
- 44% of people have a health-related app