Letter: Rep. McGovern is champion of food, nutrition, hunger and health issues
The Massachusetts Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics applauds U.S. Rep. Jim McGovern for leading legislative efforts to convene a national White House conference on food, nutrition, hunger and health, the first of its kind since 1969. A tireless advocate, McGovern continues to raise awareness of the related problems of insufficient access to healthy food, chronic health conditions related to poor nutrition, and ever-widening health inequities between Americans.
As registered dietitian nutritionists, we see daily the negative impacts of poor nutrition and hunger across the Commonwealth. In existence well before 2020, rates of food insecurity rose dramatically during the pandemic. And according to Feeding America, Massachusetts saw a 59% increase in food insecurity between 2020 and 2021 – the highest percentage increase in the country. This means that 1 in 7 people, and an estimated 1 in 5 children, do not have steady access to sufficient food to live a healthy life.
Sounding the alarm on food insecurity and declaring food a human right, McGovern has championed increasing access to healthy food for decades, in part related to his work for Sen. George McGovern, who oversaw the organization of the first and only White House Conference on Food, Nutrition and Health in 1969.
It is time to change the notion that hunger and food insecurity cannot be eradicated and support public policy priorities with the goal of ending hunger to improve the health and well-being of all.
Nicolette S. Maggiolo,
President, Massachusetts Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics
This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: Letter: Rep. McGovern is champion of food, nutrition, hunger and health issues
