Tobacco Documents Online

CEti'TEP. FOR SCIENCE CSPI IN THE PUBLIC Py'TEREST '',i',",'„'r „r Nutrition Action Healthletter Proposal for an Annual Surgeon General's Report on Diet and Health Good nutrition is essential to good health. A healthy diet can prevent many cases of heart disease, hypertension, diabetes, cancer, and other diseases. Dietary changes can also be used to treat several of those chronic diseases. Each year, diet- related diseases cause over half a million deaths and cost well over $100 billion in medical expenses and time lost from work. A highly publicized Surgeon General's report published annually could promote a diet that promotes health rather than disease. Such a report would require minimal government expenditures, but could spur major improvements in health and save Americans billions of dollars in health-care costs. An annual Surgeon General's report on diet would emulate the Surgeon General's report on smoking. That report provides policy makers and the public with timely information on the health effects of various aspects of tobacco use. Each year, the smoking report generates a great deal of publicity. Without a congressional requirement for an annual report on diet and health, we can expect only occasional attention devoted to this subject. The Surgeon General issued its only major report on "Nutrition and Health" in 1988; another one (focusing on fat) will be published in 1993. 7 1875 Connecticut &enue. N.Ir.'. Sui1e 300. Washln,qton. D.C- 20009-5728 • 12021332-9110 • FAX (202) 265-05y Executive Director: Michael ~facobsvn, Ph. D. s,.:. P•^~•^! nn .rrvrfrl nanr•