Tag: Public health history

In the early 20th century, up to 70% of children in some regions of the United States suffered from goiter, a thyroid condition caused by iodine deficiency. Iodized salt was introduced as a simple and cost-effective way to address this widespread health problem, particularly in inland areas where the soil lacked natural iodine.

During epidemics in the early 20th century, especially in the American South, the mortality rate of pellagra was high, with approximately 100,000 deaths recorded between 1906 and 1940. This niacin deficiency disease proved fatal for many, largely impacting vulnerable populations.

In a historic move, the U.S. government banned the artificial sweetener cyclamate on October 18, 1969, after new research raised concerns about its safety. This decision, made by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), followed a study that linked the substance to the development of bladder cancer in laboratory rats. The abrupt ban sent shockwaves through the diet food and beverage industry, forcing manufacturers to scramble for alternatives.

Since their inaugural release in 1980, the *Dietary Guidelines for Americans* have become a cornerstone of federal nutrition policy. However, a common misconception is that these guidelines are updated every decade. In fact, their publication schedule has followed a different, more frequent cycle for much of their history.

In the early 20th century, many people in regions far from the coast suffered from a swollen thyroid gland known as goiter due to iodine deficiency. This led to a remarkably simple yet effective public health solution: adding small amounts of iodine to table salt.

In the early 20th century, before widespread regulation, milk was a perpetual threat to public health in America, with contaminated raw milk causing countless illnesses and deaths, particularly among children. This grave reality is the key to understanding when America stopped drinking raw milk in large quantities, a seismic shift from a common practice to a public health taboo driven by scientific advancement and government regulation.

From 1998 through 2018, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) documented 202 outbreaks linked to drinking raw milk, causing over 2,600 illnesses and 228 hospitalizations. The US did not issue a blanket ban on unpasteurized milk; rather, a federal ban prohibits its interstate sale and distribution for direct human consumption. This regulatory approach, driven by a long history of serious public health concerns, has made a significant impact on food safety and public health.

In the early 1900s, before widespread pasteurization, milk was a leading cause of childhood illness, with infant mortality rates 30 to 60 times higher than today. This harrowing reality is the foundational reason why was milk originally pasteurized, a story rooted in both scientific innovation and public health necessity.

For generations, a severe human health issue called pellagra emerged among populations relying heavily on untreated maize, or corn, for sustenance, incorrectly linking the B3 deficiency to the plant's health. This article clarifies that the problem is not a deficiency within the corn plant itself, but rather a bioavailability issue for those consuming it.

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) replaced its well-known Food Pyramid with the MyPlate icon on June 2, 2011, as the new visual guide for healthy eating. This change marked a significant shift in how the government visually communicated accepted nutrition guidelines to the American public.