Food banks across the country are adopting policies to make sure the people they serve get nutritious meals, according to Yale research.
The groups that help feed the hungry are concerned about the rise in obesity and other illnesses, even among those people who cannot afford regular meals, the researchers at the Yale Rudd Center for Food Policy & Obesity found.
The study was published in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.
Many who live in poverty can only afford staples that aren’t the most nutritious.
“For those who struggle to put food on the table, it is not just about too few calories, it is also about not having access to healthy foods and adequate nutrition,” Marlene Schwartz, senior author and deputy director of the Rudd Center, said in a statement. “In response, leading food banks across the country have adapted to strategically promote healthier foods and beverages.”
The researchers interviewed administrators from 20 food banks throughout country that are a part of the Feeding America Network.
Many of the food banks were providing more fresh produce to their communities. Others are using nutrition-profiling systems to determine the health value of the food they are distributing. Others adopted policies that stopped the distribution of junk food.
