The environment we live in completely surrounds us and influences our health. Unfortunately, The Food Environment in the United States does not promote health, but instead promotes disease. Most chronic diseases are preventable by consuming a healthy diet and engaging in physical activity. Despite this, Heart Disease, Cancer, and Stroke are the top three killers of American’s and two-thirds of individuals are either overweight or obese.
In our daily lives we are constantly bombarded with unhealthy foods in; our villages, towns, and cities; in our hospitals, schools, restaurants, coffee shops, and bookstores; and on our televisions, radios, and computers. Though we may know better, this constant messaging and temptation makes it difficult for our bodies, which are hardwired to craze sugar, salt, and fat to resist.
The federal government advises citizens to eat a healthy diet, yet it uses our tax dollars to support unhealthy environment. Our current system of agriculture, supported by federal subsidies and exempt from many regulations, creates thousands of extra calories of meat and commodities without regard for the effect of these practices on the environment, climate, or human and animal health.
On TheFoodEnvironment.com, we will discuss all of these issues and more.
About the Authors:
Michael Crupain, MD, MPH
Dr. Crupain is the editor of TheFoodEnvironment.com. He graduated from Duke University with a degree is psychology, completed medical school at New York Medical College, and received his master of public health degree from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Currently Dr. Crupain is completing his final year of Preventive Medicine Residency. In addition he is also the producer and host of the TheDairyShow.com and is currently working on a new program about vegetable cookery called The Meatless Monday Show.
Young-Rok Shin, MD, MPH
Dr. Shin is a Preventive Medicine resident at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. He attended college at Cornell University where he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Asian Studies and went to medical school at SUNY Downstate College of Medicine. He is interested in food and environmental policy, as well as how social determinants of health influence health disparities.
