Guest Post by Ryan Hand, Graduate Student, Teachers College, Columbia University
#GiveHealthy Intern
As a nutrition and public health student I have seen firsthand the double burden of malnutrition, under-nutrition and over-nutrition. Across our nation, people simply aren’t consuming enough calories while others are meeting or exceeding the daily caloric requirement. In both scenarios, regardless of calorie count, individuals aren’t getting the proper nutrients.
Both of these issues are rooted in poverty, which is why I find it crucial to increase our efforts to #GiveHealthy. Eating fruits and vegetables lowers the risk of developing many chronic diseases. According to the Alliance to End Hunger, for every $1 we spend on food to feed those who are food insecure approximately $50 is saved in Medicaid expenses (1). I believe that this is a small price to pay to improve the health of our nation.
One in seven people in the US are food insecure and lack access to healthy foods. Hungry people are 2.9 times more likely to be in poor health and are 2.45 times more likely to be obese as a result of poor nutrition (1). By donating healthy foods we can change these statistics. We need to change the way we give; donating unhealthy foods only leads to further malnutrition. #GiveHealthy allows us to donate healthy foods, which people need, directly to hunger organizations. By donating healthy foods, we can change the diet of our nation. We can change the way people eat and nourish their bodies. By #GivingHealthy we are increasing the access to healthy foods across the nation.
This is why I #GiveHealthy, I want to make an impact on the health of our nation, I want to change the way people are nourished and in turn change their quality of life. Please join me by changing the way we give and taking the right steps to fighting against the double burden of malnutrition.
