Importance of Nutrition on Health in America

Hunger and health are deeply connected.

Healthy bodies and minds require nutritious meals at every age. But when people don’t have enough food or have to choose inexpensive foods with low nutritional value, it can seriously impact their health. And once the cycle of poor diet and poor health begins, it can be hard to break. Watch the video below to learn how hunger can affect the daily lives of millions of Americans:

Put simply, hunger’s toll can be life-altering.

When someone is sick, having to choose between food and treatment can lead to serious complications. For example, for food-insecure adults living with diabetes, the choice between food and controlling the disease can even lead to complications like kidney disease, eye disease, and nerve damage.

• Food insecurity can lead to Type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, and obesity.
• More than half the households the Feeding America network serves have at least one member living with high blood pressure and more than one-third have a member with diabetes.
• Children at risk of hunger are more likely to be in poor health and struggle in school.

Family members in food-insecure households are also more likely to struggle with psychological and behavioral health issues. And kids struggling to get enough to eat are more likely to have problems in school and other social situations.

Feeding America is helping build the foundation for good health.

One of the primary goals of Feeding America is providing access to healthy food in all of our communities. This means supplying food banks with more fruits, vegetables, whole grains, low-fat dairy, and lean proteins. In fact, 71 percent of the food received by the Feeding America network could fall into one of these categories. Read more about how we’re working to create a healthier America.