US food subsidies fuel obesity, study finds

US adults who ate more foods that benefited from federal agricultural subsidies were at higher risk of obesity, elevated cholesterol, and other risk factors for cardiovascular disease, a study has found.1

Although US dietary guidelines recommend limited consumption of saturated fats, sugars, salt, and refined grains, a large proportion of federal agricultural subsidies support the production of soybeans, rice, sorghum, dairy, and livestock commodities that are often converted into high fat meat and dairy products, processed and packaged foods, refined grains, …