Tag: Us public health

According to the CDC, the average daily intake of added sugars for US adults was over 17 teaspoons in 2017–2018, far exceeding recommended limits. This high consumption prompts the critical question: is sugar a problem in the United States? The answer, supported by extensive research, points to a resounding yes, linking excessive sugar intake to a wide range of public health crises.

In 1998, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) mandated that food manufacturers add folic acid to enriched grain products, a policy that has since prevented thousands of serious birth defects. But why does the US put folic acid in food? This public health strategy was implemented primarily to protect infants from neural tube defects (NTDs), which often occur before a woman even knows she is pregnant.

While iodized salt has been a public health initiative since the 1920s, it's a common misconception that iodine is added to all salt in the USA. The practice of salt iodization is, in fact, voluntary, and a significant portion of salt products, particularly specialty salts and those used in processed foods, remain unfortified.

According to data from various studies and health surveys, the state of Mississippi consistently emerges with some of the highest rates of vitamin D deficiency among its population. However, the reasons behind this significant public health issue are complex, stemming from a combination of geographical, socioeconomic, and lifestyle factors.