Food Rankings

Digging a little deeper into the Oxfam report which ranks the nations in several categories relating to food abundance, safety, security and quality, Mark Bittman sees the obvious deficiencies in our system.  While we rank first in food affordability, we are 4th in food quality and an abysmal 120th (out of 125) in healthy eating.  The problems are many and varied.  While we can produce amazing amounts of food in this country, much of it is done by industrial agriculture.  Vast amounts of this production is corn, which is either converted to ethanol for cars, fed to animals, or turned into high fructose corn syrup.  The latter is used in the production of "foodlike substances" which are neither nutritious, or delicious, but are causing much of the epidemic of diabetes and obesity which is plaguing  America.  The problem then is not the actual production of food, but the kind of food, its distribution and the what is actually presented to the public.  There are whole generations and subcultures in this country who have little or no idea of what healthy eating is all about.  The Dept. of Agriculture, which could be a resource for consumers is dedicated to production of quantity.  There is no agency tasked with helping ordinary citizens make healthy choices.  The food stamp program, while laudable in its intent to provide food, does not help the poor with menu choices or food prep.  It also does not encourage the choice of good food, so much of the benefits wind up being used to buy junk food.  These substances are high in fats, calories and salt, but not nutrition.   Most of us dislike the heavy hand of people like former Mayor of NY, Micael Bloomberg who famously tried to limit the intake of huge soft drinks, the lack of individual responsibility for health makes a case for more government intervention in diets.  At least there should be incentives for good nutritional choices and above all for the production and consumption of more fruits and vegetables.