From farm to fat kids: The intersection of Agricultural and Health Policy

A descriptive retrospective study was performed to display the intersection of U.S. Agricultural Policies (which created the U.S. food supply composition) and Health Policies (which focused on disease treatment) on an individual level disease, obesity (described as BMI units). The intersection in the 20 th century between U.S. agricultural and health policy shaped the nutrient composition of the food supply and school children's growth. However, here is a disproportionate increase in obesity occurring among US children as compared to children in 13 other developed countries and adults possibly because selection has been occurring for phenotypes that have 'thrifty' metabolic settings expressed as obesity. Obesity is a disease of mal-nutrition caused by unhealthy diet quality and quantity with the lifespan cost of obesity increasing if obesity is developed in childhood because of the longer duration of co-morbid conditions (CSDH, 2008; Deckelbaum & Williams, 2001). Policies to resolve childhood obesity need to reflect the changing nature of agricultural production, provide a food supply that provides affordable appropriate nutrition to the entire population, and create a healthy food environment to foster appropriate body weights.;Federal manipulation of agricultural production, distribution, and price accelerated after WWII. Unintended consequence of agricultural policies changed the food supply creating a niche for cheaper alternative processed and refined foods. Increases in nutritional programs and exponential increases in crop subsidy programs began in the 1960s creating a food supply that was very different in both which crops were produced and price from the early part of the century. The U.S. Diet changed over the century from one that supplied a diet low in fat and high in unprocessed grains fruits and vegetables to a diet high in fat, sugar, and processed foods and low in vegetables and fruit. Consumption patterns also changed during of the century; as consumption of processed foods and protein increased, a sharp rise in children's BMIs was also seen. The linkage between the changing food supply and children's increases in BMI suggest that the food supply affected the health of the nation's children.