The Other Food Problem: Nutritional Health

Though 80% of mothers start breastfeeding their infants, only one in four continues for the recommended full year. * Only 2.7% of Americans have a "healthy lifestyle," meaning they meet four qualifications: being sufficiently active, eating a healthy diet, being a nonsmoker and having a healthy body fat percentage, according to the Mayo Clinic. * The Healthy People 2020 Progress Update released late last year by the Department of Health and Human Services reported that improvement in the nation's nutrition and weight status from 2010 to 2020 was "negligible"; only one of the 31 milestones set for nutrition and weight status improvement had been met, and for 21 of the milestones, there was no improvement at all. Prices overall increased 8.5% from August 2021-July 2022, and prices for food eaten at home increased 13-1%, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Consumer Price Index report issued Aug. 10. [...]encouraging consumers to buy healthier foods at a time when inflation and food prices are high is challenging for physicians, public health officials and nutritionists. [...]manufacturers are actively engaged in policymaking aimed at food safety and nutritional health.