In 1969, low-income Americans faced uniquely high levels of hunger, prompting President Richard Nixon to bring together a group of experts and policymakers for a White House Conference to “put an end to hunger in America for all time.” Flash forward 50 years, and Americans face a new set of food-related health challenges — obesity, poor nutrition, and diet-related disease.
Recognizing the gravity of our present-day situation, President Joe Biden is convening his own White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health at the end of September — this time with the joint aim of “end[ing] hunger and increas[ing] healthy eating and physical activity.” While the federal government has already given much attention to addressing hunger, the question is whether the White House will use the conference to prioritize the problem of poor nutrition and diet-related disease.
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