What price cheap food? Obesity estimated to cost the USA about $344 billion in medical-related expenses by 2018,

Today I came across a contribution entitled Americans Eat the Cheapest Food in the World, But What is It Really Costing Us?

The contribution records outlines how the USA population spend much less of their money on the food than ever before, but they eat out far more than ever before, buying fatty processed and fast foods laden with saturated fats, sodium, and added sugars. When compared to other countries, USA food is by far the cheapest.

But it comes at a cost – environmental and in burgeoning healthcare costs resulting from obesity.  The article notes:

‘If Americans continue to pack on pounds, obesity will cost us about $344 billion in medical-related expenses by 2018, eating up about 21 percent of healthcare spending”

These are the issues we all need to consider when reflecting on what we want from farming – from our agricultural and food systems.

View the full contribution at http://www.treehugger.com/health/americans-eat-the-cheapest-food-in-the-world-but-what-is-it-really-costing-us.html