In Iowa the prevalence of obesity has increased every year since 1989 for adults over the age of 18. A national study indicates the proportion of overweight children and adolescents has steadily increased since 1980. Restaurant meals tend to be high in calories and saturated fats. Inadequate nutrition during childhood can affect brain development and reduce a child's ability to learn, thus also decreasing productivity potential as adults. USDA data shows that 11.9 million households lacked sufficient food sometime during 1995.
Food shortages have the greatest negative impact on children and elderly adults.
Older individuals who consume inadequate amounts of calories, vitamins and minerals are more likely to develop acute illness and chronic disease. Proper nutrition can alleviate existing health problems. While the American food supply is among the safest in the world, foodborne illness is a major source of personal stress, death and economic burden. Most foodborne illness can be avoided through safe food-handling practices. Annual Performance Goals 1.