There’s an elephant in the room regarding America’s healthcare spending, said Dariush Mozaffarian, a cardiologist and public health scientist from Tufts University.
And that elephant is in the shape of cheeseburgers, piles of sodium and bottles of sugary drinks.
In an online article published Sept. 12 by The Conversation, Mozaffarian said food is the No. 1 cause of poor health in the U.S. But policymakers focus more on care delivery than changing approaches to nutrition.
“Total federal spending for nutrition research across all agencies is only about $1.5 billion per year,” Mozaffarian wrote. “Compare that with more than $60 billion spent per year for industry research on drugs, biotechnology and medical devices. With the top cause of poor health largely ignored, is it any mystery that obesity, diabetes and related conditions are at epidemic levels, while health care costs and premiums skyrocket?”
Mozaffarian attempted to quantify the death toll and economic costs tied to poor diet in America. He also offered solutions, saying national programs to subsidize the cost of fruits and vegetables, impose a soda tax and reduce salt in packaged foods could each save tens of thousands of lives—and result in lower healthcare costs.
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Daniel joined TriMed’s Chicago editorial team in 2017 as a Cardiovascular Business writer. He previously worked as a writer for daily newspapers in North Dakota and Indiana.