Please excuse me while I geek out on behavior change theory for a moment…

I finally had a chance to sit down and read through the entire 2010 USDA Dietary Guidelines document. I was pleased to note that the authors recognize that healthy eating is not as simple as choosing more fruits and veggies from the local supermarket. Many individuals simply do not have access to fresh produce and/or cannot afford to purchase healthy items. Page 56 of the guidelines uses a Social Ecological Framework to demonstrate the multiple levels of influence that affect one’s eating behaviors.

It is essential that policymakers and health advocates acknowledge the integral role that one’s surrounding environment plays in food consumption. I hope that this broad societal factor will continue to be taken into consideration as we move forward in our efforts to reverse the obesity epidemic.