Welcome to National Nutrition Month

Nutrition is an incredibly critical part of heart health! There is a direct correlation between nutrition, cardiovascular health, and public policy. An unhealthy diet, characterized by high intake of sodium, added sugars, and saturated fats, and low intake of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, contributes to the development of chronic diseases such as heart disease and stroke.

As we kick off National Nutrition Month this March, we need Congress to get to work to ensure families have access to healthy foods. Congress needs to pass a meaningful farm bill that supports the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and improves access to healthy food. Congress also needs to oppose harmful nutrition policies in the spending bills that would threaten health.

The farm bill is a comprehensive multi-year bill that addresses agricultural and nutrition policy issues. It is typically renewed every five years but unfortunately, Congress just extended the deadline without passing a new bill. Congress needs to invest in policies that will improve the nutritional quality of food, diet quality, and ultimately health of all.

In addition, every year, Congress writes annual spending bills, and special interests often attempt to insert language that weakens access to nutritious foods. Congress needs to protect the health of their constituents by rejecting these harmful “riders” in the agriculture appropriations bill.

During National Nutrition Month, Congress must get to work to ensure families have access to healthy foods doing at least these two things:

1) Passing a meaningful farm bill that supports SNAP and improves nutrition security.
2) Removing harmful ‘riders’ from the agriculture appropriations that will threaten nutrition security.

You can call on your congressional representatives to support access to healthy nutritious food. Click here to take action!