I don't know if you realize that bad nutrition is the leading cause of poor health in developed countries and globally, causing more deaths and disabilities than any other factor. Yet nutrition, the number one cause of illness is largely ignored by the the health system: whether in medical education, , reimbursement priorities, treatment protocols, etc.

Our food system is also the leading cause of environmental decline on the planet. How we grow our food accounts for 70% of water use, 90% of tropical deforestation, immense challenges to the oceans and fish stock, and as much greenhouse gas emissions as all of the world’s transportation - cars, trucks, buses, planes, trains, and ships - combined. Whether for water, land, oceans, or climate, our food system is the crucial foundation for either harm or positive change. Combining these health and environmental impacts, how we eat is easily the major economic issue of our time!

Importantly, our food system also contributes to harsh inequities. People with lower incomes and less influence often have the worst diets, leading to a vicious cycle of poor health, lower productivity, increased health costs, and poverty. And this starts early, with kids suffering less optimal development, decreased ability to concentrate and succeed in school, and a greater chance of poor health. Food not only influences disease, the environment, and the economy, but has profound implications for equity and social justice.