Connection Between United States Farm Policy and Obesity

Results from the 2003-2004 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) indicate that an estimated 66 percent of U.S. adults are either overweight or obese (CDC, 2006). In spite of the magnitude of the problem, there remains a critical gap in the knowledge base concerning the public policy contributors to obesity. Specifically, the connection between farm policy programs, implemented by the United States Department of Agriculture, and obesity rates has yet to be fully explored.

American farm subsidies have changed over the last 80 years from an emergency stopgap to an ongoing self-perpetuating institution. The first American agricultural assistance program began in the 1920s to deal with growing patterns that farmers had developed in support of the WWI effort. When the war ended, farmers continued to grow crops at a record pace. This resulted in a surplus of produce followed by plunging prices. As a result, the government of United States introduced numerous programs to manage what and how much farmers produce. Farm subsidies have reduced the cost of producing corn, and as a result, inexpensive corn, transformed into high fructose corn syrup (HFCS), has given rise to an industry of highly processed inexpensive foods (Park and Yetley, 1993; Smith, 1998). In fact, between 1970 and 1990, the consumption of HFCS in the United States increased 1,000% (Bray et al, 2004). During the same time period, the prevalence of obesity rose dramatically.

Overweight and obese individuals are at increased risk for many diseases and health conditions, including but not limited to the following: hypertension; osteoarthritis; dyslipidemia (i.e., high total cholesterol or high levels of triglycerides); type 2 diabetes; coronary heart disease and stroke. (Bray, Bouchard & James, 1998, Pi-Sunyer, 2002). These diseases, in turn, have tremendous financial implications for individuals as well as the government at the federal and state level.

The primary outcome of this investigation is to link changes in the United States farm subsidy program to the growth in obesity related health care expenditures. The output generated from this project will provide policymakers with enough preliminary information to consider the broader financial implications of farm support programs.