Bad Diet Could Be A Problem Threatening US National Security

Illustration (Pixabay / RyanMcGuire)

JAKARTA - Do not underestimate the problem of a bad diet. Because in the United States (US), this problem has become a threat to national security.

A study published in the Journal of Clinical Nutrition reveals a cause and effect of diseases resulting from poor diet on the US economy. One of the worst impacts, namely the issue of health inequality, can actually threaten national security.

The journal published on Monday explains that poor nutrition is a major cause of disease in the US. As a result of unhealthy diets, at least half a million people die each year.

It is recorded that 46 percent of adults in this country have a low-quality diet. Meanwhile, the number of children was even higher at 56 percent.

The research cited by CNN also saw a tripling of US health spending from 1979 to 2018, from 6.9 percent to 17.7 percent of gross domestic product. Investigate that the number also affects the government budget, competitiveness in the private sector and wages of workers.

Meanwhile, health disparities due to bad diets afflict many minorities, people in rural areas and low-income communities. The cause is none other than because social and economic factors such as low education, poverty and reduced opportunities are the main factors causing population disparity. "It is also a major obstacle to access to healthy food and balanced nutrition," the journal wrote.

In addition, the inherited effects of a poor diet can lead to decreased academic achievement at school, loss of productivity at work, increased risk of chronic disease, increased health costs, and even poverty for the US population with a vulnerable economy.

Worst of all, a lack of balanced nutrition can threaten national security. The reason is, diseases caused by poor diet can damage the readiness of the US military and the US Department of Defense budget.

In the case of US military recruitment, for example, 71 percent of people aged 17 to 24 did not pass the selection. Most of them did not pass the medical selection because of obesity problems, said the journal, citing military reports for 2018.