To the editor:

It is no secret that we have a major health crisis in this world, specifically in this country.  This crisis is because our diets are too high in sodium, saturated fat, refined grains, and added sugars. Our diets are also too light in the amount of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, healthy dairy, and beneficial oils we consume.  

According to The University of Alabama at Birmingham, the result of this unbalanced diet is that 35 percent of Americans are obese, and this number is growing significantly. This bad diet trend has also been shown to lead to serious health problems of the heart, increased insulin levels and diabetes, asthma symptoms, Parkinson's Disease, and cognitive issues in older adults. From a mental health perspective, this diet imbalance has been shown to increase depression and anxiety, which we all should agree is a big problem in our population, particularly people my age. 

Restaurants and fast food chains have often been blamed for this issue, as their pre-made meals are often high in all of the dangerous stuff. In Barrington, it’s apparent that our local grocery store is also a problem, as they have an entire row dedicated to typically salty, often fried snacks which are pretty damaging. There is less space dedicated to all of the good food that we should be eating, as I described above.

Now we have to balance our need for a healthier diet with the needs of our planet. There is little debate that our world is facing a tough time, with man-made pollutants impacting climate change. As stated by the United Nations Climate Action, food sources add to this greatly, with the growing, processing, preparing, transporting, and disposing of food creating greenhouse gasses and contributing to climate change.  Some examples of this are the methane from a cow’s digestive process, pollutants from fertilizers, and various agricultural emissions.  Many animal and plant-based foods are the culprits, with bad overall carbon footprints and dangerous emissions.  The key to alleviating this is to specific plant-rich diets and alternative proteins such as cultivated meats that have lower environmental impacts.  We also need to cut food waste, as it unnecessarily uses land, water, and energy to produce for no good reason.

If we can balance our own healthy choices with choices that prove good for the planet, we’ll all be here for a lot longer. We could see many positive changes by working to reduce emissions, stock our grocery stores with healthier food, and increase the overall mental and physical well-being of our town members. I ask that the town of Barrington supports this effort, including grocery stores, restaurants, and residents. 

Sincerely,

Grace Coleman

Barrington