There is no question that we all need to eat healthier and frequent our local farmers markets and produce stands so we can consume fresh fruits and vegetables. The following paragraph is from the latest government dietary guidelines.
The call to action, ultimately, Americans make their own food and physical activity choices at the individual (and family) level. In order for Americans to make healthy choices, however, they need to have opportunities to purchase and consume healthy foods and engage in physical activity. One way to do this is to ensure that all Americans have access to nutritious foods. Research has demonstrated that some Americans lack access to affordable nutritious foods. This lack of access makes it a challenge for many Americans to consume a diet consistent with the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2010. Thus, access may be related to overall disparities in health. In order for individuals and families to be able to make healthy lifestyle choices, they first need to be aware of and have access to those healthy choices. Access includes not only availability of these choices, but also affordability and safety. Acceptability of the choices is also important. The following strategies can be used to help ensure that all Americans have access to nutritious foods and opportunities for physical activity:
- Create local, State, and national-level strategic plans to achieve Dietary Guidelines and Physical Activity Guidelines recommendations among individuals, families, and communities.
- Recognize health disparities among subpopulations and ensure equitable access to safe and affordable healthy foods and opportunities for physical activity for all people.
- Expand access to grocery stores, farmers markets, and other outlets for healthy foods.
- Develop and expand safe, effective, and sustainable agriculture and aquaculture practices to ensure availability of recommended amounts of healthy foods to all segments of the population.
For a complete summary please see this link