In September, hunger, nutrition, and health were the subject of a historic White House conference. And while the conference has passed, opportunities for the dairy community to engage in a national strategy by the Biden administration to elevate health are just beginning.
The Biden Administration National Strategy on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health, released in conjunction with the conference, is a comprehensive agenda to end hunger and increase healthy eating and physical activity by 2030 while reducing health disparities, so fewer Americans experience diet-related diseases. Three of the strategy’s five pillars align closely with the work of Dairy Council of California’s Let’s Eat Healthy initiative and are important for dairy producers and processors.
Pillar 1: Improve food access and affordability
Opportunity for the dairy community: Milk and dairy foods are affordable, nutrient-dense foods that improve diet quality and are an essential part of federal meal programs. This is especially important during pregnancy and early childhood since nutrition and access to high-quality foods like milk and dairy foods can positively impact lifelong health. The dairy community can advance this pillar by supporting federal nutrition assistance programs like the National School Lunch Program and the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children that provide a critical safety net for underserved communities.
Pillar 2: Integrate nutrition and health
Opportunity for the dairy community: Research continues to show that a healthy eating pattern, which includes milk and dairy foods, is associated with reduced risk of cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and obesity. The dairy community can further this understanding by continuing its commitment to providing evidence-based nutrition education, programs and research that demonstrate dairy’s contributions to achieving nutrition security and elevating health.
Pillar 3: Empower all consumers to make and have access to healthy choices
Opportunity for the dairy community: Through this pillar, the administration will aim to improve food labeling, including revising how “healthy” is defined, and make the healthier choice the easier choice through education and nutrition policy actions. The dairy community can play a role in this pillar by being a partner in championing nutrition research, education, and advocacy, which advance the understanding of dairy foods’ unique nutrition and health attributes.
At Dairy Council of California, we believe that collaboration is vital to ensure children are supported to grow healthfully. Supporting the core pillars here is one way the dairy community can make an even bigger impact. Learn more about how you can elevate health at HealthyEating.org/Join.
