Mike Espy, Edelman lecturer: U.S. food policy is not health policy

Government programs that have benefitted those who grow food and those who process it have not necessarily benefitted those who eat it, said Mike Espy, former U.S. secretary of agriculture, speaking Tuesday at the University of Mississippi Medical Center.

Espy, an attorney and former U.S. representative for Mississippi's 2nd District, was the distinguished guest lecturer for the third annual Marian Wright Edelman Lectureship, which focused on how food policy in America can affect consumers' health.

Espy, who served in President Bill Clinton's cabinet from 1993 to 1994, noted that more than two-thirds of adults in the United States are overweight or obese, that poor diet is a major risk for weight gain, and that Mississippians in particular tend toward fried, fatty and sugary foods.

"We are eating ourselves to death," said Espy, a Yazoo City native who noted that adults, including himself, often do not outgrow habits formed in childhood.

"Habits die hard," he said. "These foods are available, these foods are cheap."

One reason for this, he said, is that in the United States, neither farm policy nor food policy is directly tied to health policy.

Provisions in the U.S. Farm Bill, first passed during the Great Depression and updated regularly since, were designed to create prosperity for food producers and ensure a stable, affordable food supply.

But those provisions, including subsidies, have encouraged the production of crops such as corn, sugar and wheat. These are often used in highly processed foods such as sugary cereals, doughnuts and high-fructose corn syrup, which can contribute to weight gain.

"But I see the sun bursting through," Espy said, referring to potential changes in policy.

Recent reforms are encouraging the production of a wider variety of crops, including fruits and vegetables, he said. As subsidies become more expensive, further reforms may follow.

"We have a lot to do," Espy said.

One proposal he discussed involves changes to the Electronic Benefits Transfer system, part of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, which allows low-income families to purchase food.

"The government pays for that, but the government also pays for negative health outcomes," Espy said.

While certain items such as tobacco and alcohol cannot be purchased with EBT, he suggested incentives rather than restrictions, such as increasing the value of benefits when recipients buy fruits and vegetables.

"It's your decision," he said.

Presented by the Myrlie Evers-Williams Institute for the Elimination of Health Disparities and Mississippi State University, the lectureship also featured Reena Evers-Everette, executive director of the Medgar and Myrlie Evers Institute; Dr. Bettina Beech, dean of the School of Population Health and executive director of the Myrlie Evers-Williams Institute; and Dr. Daniel Remley, field specialist in food, nutrition and wellness at Ohio State University Extension.

"Diabetes and food insecurity go hand in hand," Remley said, noting that food pantries offering healthier options can improve long-term outcomes and reduce chronic disease risk.

About 80 to 90 people attended the event, which concluded with a panel discussion moderated by Dr. Leslie Hossfeld, professor and head of Mississippi State University's Department of Sociology.

Panelists included Espy; Dr. Gregory Bohach, vice president of Mississippi State University's Division of Agriculture, Forestry and Veterinary Medicine; Dr. Dolphus Weary, president and co-founder of the Rural Education and Leadership Christian Foundation; and Oleta Fitzgerald, Southern regional director for the Children's Defense Fund.

Responding to a question about improving access to healthy food, Fitzgerald emphasized the importance of education.

"An educated population becomes a self-sufficient population," she said.

She also recommended expanding Medicaid, noting it could improve access to care, particularly for older adults and underserved populations.

The lectureship is named for Marian Wright Edelman, founder and president of the Children's Defense Fund. Established in 2014 by the Office of Population Health and the Myrlie Evers-Williams Institute, the series brings educators, scientists and advocates together to discuss issues related to child health and health disparities.

For more information on the Myrlie Evers-Williams Institute and its programs, visit www.umc.edu/evers-williams.