Facts
One in three U.S. children born in the year 2000 could develop Type 2 Diabetes during their lifetimes.
- Centers for Disease Control
The generation of Americans born in the year 2000 is the first in history to have a shorter life expectancy than its parents.
- Centers for Disease Control
The rate of obesity among children today is twice as high as it was in the late 1970s.
- Schlosser, Eric, Fast Food Nation: The Dark side of the All-American Meal (Harper Collins,2002)
Blood pressure has increased over the past decade among children and adolescents, in part because of increasing rates of overweight.
- American Medical Association
Food additives have been scientifically and conclusively linked to Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).
- New York Times, September 6, 2007, citing University of Southhampton study
In 2001, Americans consumed 15 billion gallons of soft drinks, twice as much as in 1974 and the equivalent to 587 12-ounce servings per year for every man, woman, and child.
- Center for Science in the Public Interest
Most children can recognize over 1,700 products but do not know what's grown and produced locally.
- Cloud, Jaimie. The Sustainability Education Center, New York, 2002
More than 25 percent of nineteen- to twenty-four-month-olds eat French fries or fried potatoes on any given day.
- The Future of Children, Princeton-Brookings
Every day, one in four Americans eats in a fast food restaurant.
- "Super Size Me"
In 1970, Americans spent $6.2 billion at fast food restaurants; in 2004, the amount was $124 billion. Twenty times as much!
- "Don't Eat This Book" by Morgan Spurlock
Organic diets significantly lower children's dietary exposure to pesticides.
- Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University
70% of all antibiotics consumed in this country are utilized in animal husbandry.
- Benbrook, Charles, et al., " Hogging It: Estimates of Antimicrobial Abuse in Livestock". Union of Concerned Scientists, 2001
US Agriculture uses 1.2 billion lbs of pesticides each year; roughly 5 lbs for every American.
- Curtis, Jennifer "Fields of Change: A New Crop of American Farmers Finds Alternatives to Pesticides." (Natural Resources Defense Council, July 1998)
40% of all Cancer is diet related.
- Fierro, Michael. "Cancer Prevention and Control Information" National Governor's Association:Best Practices, April, 13, 2001
Our food travels an average of 1500 miles before we eat it.
- Gussow, Joan-Dye. "What is Sustainable Cuisine- and Why Does it Matter So Much?" (Presentation to the 5th Annual Chef's Collaborative 2000 Retreat), Phoenix, Ariz., 7-9 June 1998
The American Dietetic Associations' funders have included Kellog, Kraft Foods, Campbell Soup, Nestle USA, Coca-Cola, General Mills, Nabisco, ConAgra and Sunkist.
- ADA's Donor Report Lists
A typical fast food hamburger may come from over 1,000 cows from 5 different countries.
- Schlosser, Eric, Fast Food Nation: The Dark side of the All-American Meal (Harper Collins,2002)
Corn-fed beef is less healthy because it contains more saturated fat and fewer Omega 3 fatty acids than the meat of grass-fed cattle.
- The Omnivores' Dilemma by Michael Pollan
The United States exports 1.1 million tons of potatoes a year, and imports 1.4 million tons of potatoes a year.
- Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver