The Chronic Disease Epidemic

Summary:

I. Introduction

II. Comparing America’s Health Crisis to Other Countries

III. The Role of Big Ag, Big Food, and the FDA

IV. The Growing Threat of Microplastics

V. The Food Pyramid: Government-Backed Misinformation

VI. Suppression of Alternative Nutritional Science

VII. Conclusion: A System is Rigged Against Americans

America is facing a chronic disease epidemic, with obesity, diabetes, heart disease, and cancer rates significantly higher than in other developed nations. While lifestyle choices certainly play a role, the composition of our food supply—filled with harmful preservatives, pesticides, hormones, antibiotics, and high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS)—has created an environment where disease is not the exception, but the expected outcome. Unlike European nations, which ban over 1,300 chemicals in food production, the United States continues to permit these substances, allowing corporations, Big Food and Big Ag to determine what Americans consume with minimal oversight. This systemic failure is not incidental. It is by design—perpetuated by powerful interests that prioritize corporate profits over public health, and enabled by a regulatory structure that lacks the will, and perhaps the independence, to intervene.

In the 1980s and 1990s, major cigarette corporations like Philip Morris and R.J. Reynolds quietly bought up some of America's largest food companies, including Kraft, General Foods, and Nabisco. Having perfected the art of addiction through decades of manipulating nicotine levels and targeting young smokers, these corporations applied the same strategies to the food industry. They engineered products to hit a "bliss point" — an ideal combination of sugar, salt, and fat — designed to hijack consumers’ reward systems and create compulsive eating habits. Using their mastery of marketing, they aggressively promoted these hyper-palatable foods to children and families, much like they once marketed cigarettes to a new generation of smokers. In doing so, they fundamentally reshaped the American diet, prioritizing profit over public health in deeply nefarious ways.

II. Comparing America’s Health Crisis to Other Countries:

The United States consistently ranks among the worst in health outcomes for developed countries. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 42% of Americans are obese—a rate more than double that of France (20%) and nearly triple that of Japan (15%). Cancer rates in the U.S. are also among the highest globally, with over 1.9 million new cases diagnosed each year. In contrast, countries with stronger food safety regulations—especially in Europe—see lower rates of these chronic conditions.

The contrast is not coincidental. The food in European markets is fundamentally different. Artificial dyes, preservatives like BHA and BHT, and carcinogenic pesticides are largely banned. In the European Union, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) adheres to the precautionary principle—meaning a chemical must be proven safe before it is allowed in the food supply. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), however, takes the opposite approach: unless a substance is definitively proven to be harmful beyond all doubt, it remains approved! As a result, Americans have effectively become test subjects in an uncontrolled long-term experiment—one driven by the interests of Big Ag, Big Food, and their allies in Washington.

III. The Role of Big Ag, Big Food, and the FDA:

The modern American diet has not evolved by accident—it has been engineered. Corporations like Nestlé, General Mills, and PepsiCo invest heavily in food science to create products that maximize addiction and consumption. The combination of sugar, fat, and salt in many processed foods is calibrated to achieve the “bliss point”—a level of sensory stimulation that triggers cravings and overrides satiety. High-fructose corn syrup, significantly cheaper than cane sugar due to government corn subsidies, is ubiquitous in American foods—from sodas to salad dressings. Its role in driving obesity and metabolic disorders is well-documented, yet it remains central to the standard American diet.

Big Ag, meanwhile, ensures the widespread use of genetically modified crops and chemical treatments that are virtually unavoidable in non-organic food. Glyphosate—a known carcinogen used not only as an herbicide but also as a crop desiccant—contaminates grains and produce alike. It has been linked to disruptions in gut microbiota and endocrine function, raising serious concerns about its long-term effects on human health. At the same time, factory farms continue the mass administration of hormones and antibiotics to livestock, accelerating animal growth and profitability but contributing to the global crisis of antibiotic resistance.

Many of these practices are banned in Europe. But in the United States, the FDA’s regulatory posture is compromised by a revolving door between government and industry, where former food and pharmaceutical executives routinely move into positions of public oversight, and vice versa. This blurred line between regulator and regulated erodes the public’s trust and leaves little room for unbiased decision-making.

Specific Examples: How America’s Food Differs:

• McDonald’s French Fries:
  • U.S.: 19 ingredients, including dimethylpolysiloxane (a silicone compound used in Silly Putty) and TBHQ (a petroleum-based preservative linked to cancer).
  • U.K.: Only three ingredients—potatoes, salt, and vegetable oil.
• Doritos:
  • U.S.: 39 ingredients, including artificial dyes like Yellow 5 and Red 40 (banned in Europe).
  • Europe: About 15 ingredients, using natural coloring like paprika extract.
• Processed Meats (e.g., bacon, ham, sausage):
  • U.S.: Often preserved with sodium nitrite, a compound linked to colon cancer.
  • Europe: Restrictions on sodium nitrite with mandatory warning labels.
• Cereals for Children (e.g., Froot Loops, Lucky Charms):
  • U.S.: Contain BHA, BHT, and artificial dyes.
  • Europe: These additives are banned or restricted due to behavioral and cancer concerns.
• Bread:
  • U.S.: Can contain up to 30 ingredients, including potassium bromate (a known carcinogen).
  • Europe: Simple recipes—typically just flour, water, salt, and yeast.

IV. The Growing Threat of Microplastics:

In addition to harmful additives, Americans are now facing another invisible threat: microplastics. These microscopic fragments of plastic have been found in drinking water, seafood, table salt, and even fresh produce. The average person is estimated to ingest the equivalent of a credit card’s worth of plastic every week. These particles contain endocrine-disrupting chemicals that interfere with human hormone function, and they have already been detected in human blood and lung tissue.

Emerging studies suggest microplastics may contribute to chronic inflammation, metabolic disorders, and even cancer. Despite these alarming findings, the U.S. lags behind other countries in addressing the problem. While Europe has moved toward restricting single-use plastics and improving recycling infrastructure, American policies remain insufficient, allowing microplastics to proliferate in the environment and food chain.

V. The Food Pyramid: Government-Backed Misinformation:

One of the most damaging tools in the manipulation of the American diet was the Food Pyramid, introduced by the U.S. government in 1992. The pyramid emphasized carbohydrates as the foundation of a healthy diet, encouraging Americans to consume refined grains while minimizing fats and proteins. This model aligned perfectly with the interests of industrial agriculture and processed food manufacturers—but it came at a devastating public health cost. Obesity and diabetes rates soared in the years that followed, as millions embraced a diet rich in processed carbs and low in the fats and proteins that sustain long-term energy and metabolic stability.

VI. Suppression of Alternative Nutritional Science:

Alternative voices in nutritional science—those advocating for whole foods, organic produce, and the avoidance of chemical additives—have often been sidelined. Researchers challenging the safety of common ingredients or questioning mainstream dietary guidelines frequently struggle to secure funding, face pressure to retract findings, or are drowned out by industry-funded studies designed to sow confusion and preserve the status quo. Big Food’s influence extends into academic institutions, media outlets, and even public health campaigns, making it extremely difficult for independent nutritional science to gain traction.

VII. Conclusion: A System Rigged Against Americans:

The chronic disease crisis afflicting the United States is not a mystery, nor is it an unavoidable byproduct of modern life. It is the predictable result of a food system corrupted by powerful corporations and enabled by weak, compromised regulatory institutions. While many nations have chosen to err on the side of caution, banning dangerous additives, promoting whole foods, and investing in public health, the U.S. has moved in the opposite direction.

With the FDA and USDA beholden to industry interests and Big Ag dictating what ends up on grocery store shelves, the burden of change now rests on the shoulders of the American public. Policy reform is essential, but so is grassroots action: demanding transparency, supporting organic and local food systems, and holding elected officials accountable for public health decisions. 

True health in America will only be possible when we reclaim control over our food supply. Until then, pushing for transparency, demanding policy reform, and supporting sustainable alternatives remain our most powerful tools for change.