It hasn’t been a secret that America needs to start eating healthier and stay away from processed foods. Unflattering stats were presented in many areas such as “more than half of what Americans eat is “ultra-processed.” The average American man has a body mass index just barely under the medical definition of obese. In a 2013 ranking of affluent countries’ health, the United States came in last. Here’s another bummer of a statistic to toss on the pile: Less than 3 percent of Americans meet the basic qualifications for a “healthy lifestyle,” according to a new study published in Mayo Clinic Proceedings.” (Beck par 1). People are aware of this problem, but many don’t understand how to fix it.
There are a few ways to work on this issue. One would be making healthy food more accessible for everyone, including lower income people. Second would be education. Americans should get educated on what to eat and what not to eat. Many people don’t understand the danger behind the food that they are eating. Third would be a change in the advertising of food businesses. These three steps can make America a healthier country.
A large reason why many people eat processed food is because that’s the only choice they have. An unhealthy fast food place might be the only place that’s close or affordable for them to eat at. In Ask Your Target Market’s latest survey, “67% said they eat fast food because it’s convenient. 32% said they eat it because it’s cheap” (Pilon par 3).  This is why there should be more healthy and affordable food options in low income areas. Next, there should be more education on good food and bad food. This could happen by sending educators to tour schools, or require teachers to show their students specific videos. Education would be key and help people make their own decisions about what they put into their body. They would be able to consciously make the right choice. One topic that would be helpful for people to learn about would be healthier alternatives to foods that people already eat. A list of what needs to go out of people’s lives are breakfast cereals, processed and convenience foods, margarine canned meals salad dressings, biscuits, sweets, and cakes, yogurts, and table salt (Mehdi). One can replace these foods with protein, non-meat protein, salad and vegetables, dairy alternative, etc. These things would really make one’s diet intake better. Cutting those foods about will be hard, but the alternatives are good and way better in the long run. Lastly, companies who sell food should be more humane and change how they advertise food. Instead of manipulating people to believe something is healthy, they should advertise food in an honest manner. Moreover, if they realize their product has harmful ingredients, they should strive to change it. I understand that there is freedom and it is the consumer’s choice, but taking these actions will help everyone in America be more healthy. The health problems caused by food are not worth the money and satisfaction you get from eating or selling them.
Growing up in a low income family, our “fancy” good place was McDonald’s. I got used to occasionally eating it because it was convenient and cheap. After learning about the dangers of eating fast food and especially McDonald’s, I could never look it at the same. I learned about alternatives and once there was a grocery store near me, I made a change in my diet. In the big picture, it was healthier, and also budget friendly. I would say that it improved the quality of my life too. Being in good health has allowed me to have a more active lifestyle. It has allowed me to be better financially. An article in the Healthy Magazine has stated that “When people are healthy, they are more likely to be better off financially. The financial burden that millions experience in meeting the cost of their healthcare needs can contribute to chronic unhappiness. Money may not buy health or happiness, but it is a crucial factor in the happiness equation” (Richardson par 8). Changing your diet to become more healthy might require more effort, but all it has are benefits. People will be better off financially, physically, and mentally.

83.3% of PFAA Seniors stated that eating healthy makes people happier.

To make America more healthy and happy, these three things need to happen and the government will need to get involved. The government will need to step in to place more healthy and affordable food places in low income areas. They will need to implement an education requirement for schools or encourage citizens to do their own research. Lastly, they will need to encourage and/or regulate the advertising of food companies. I know that they already have some regulations, but adding more wouldn’t hurt. Although the government can make this happen, people can too. People can start putting in more effort to eat healthier, and it will lead them to live a better life.