Are U.S. farm subsidies adding to the obesity epidemic?

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Monday, October 11, 2004 6:12 am Email this article
Maybe according to a new paper. This is not the first article to suggest this. Subsidies since the 1920’s

American farmers have received federal subsidies since the 1920’s in order to keep farmers farming and provide Americans with an affordable, stable food supply according to the paper.

These subsidies might add to the obesity epidemic by providing cheap, fattening foods.

Subsidies for wheat, soybeans and especially corn

“Wheat, soybeans, and especially corn are currently the most highly subsidized crops,” the paper notes.

Result in high-fructose corn syrup and hydrogenated fats

“Products made from these crops, including high-fructose corn syrup and hydrogenated fats, have flooded the market as cheap means for making foods tastier, though not healthier,” the author notes.

There was a good article suggesting this in the last year or so, however, I cannot find it right now.

REFERENCE

Fields S. The fat of the land: do agricultural subsidies foster poor health? Environ Health Perspect. 2004 Oct, 112(14):a820-3.

Articles on the same subject can be found here:

• High-Fructose Corn Syrup