Touch the Soil News #773 (feature photo CCA 2.5 Generic)
The Canadians have come up with a way to measure the cost of not eating enough fruits and veggies. The Canadian Journal of Public Health found that three quarters of Canadians fail to meet the Canadian Food Guide recommendations for daily intake of fruit and vegetables.
Two years ago, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control estimated that only 1 in 10 Americans eats enough fruit and veggies.
Here is where it gets interesting. The Canadian Journal of Public Health reports that the deficiency of Canadians in eating fresh fruits and veggies costs Canada about $4.39 billion a year. There is $1.47 billion in direct costs such as hospital care, physician services, drugs, etc. There is $2.92 billion in indirect costs such as premature death and disability.
The U.S. population is roughly 10 times that of Canada. While a separate U.S. study should be made, by using the same parameters as Canada, the lack of fruits and veggies in U.S. diets could cost America about $43.9 billion. $14.7 billion in direct costs such as hospital care, physician services, drugs, etc. 429.2 billion in indirect costs such as premature death and disability.
According to the World Health Organization, insufficient fruit and veggie intake leads to 1.7 million premature deaths a year worldwide. A large deterrent to eating fruit and veggies is the cost. But can we really expect the world’s economic systems to give the neediest working folks a pay raise?