Nutrition and health care law

As a result, policymakers have come up with laws focusing on cost reduction as well as healthy lifestyles. Mozaffarian review of the connection between eating habits and deaths concluded that eating habits and disease rates provide empirical evidence on how specific foods harm health. The foods, in this case, may include too much salt intake, processed meats, red meat, and sugary drinks. These foods, in most cases, risk obesity, which is a leading health threat in the U. S. Subsequently, the federal authorities implement a set of policy measures that aim to promote better care, especially for those at higher risks of obesity and other eating disorders. Notwithstanding, the policymakers ensure the wellbeing of all populations. The Affordable Care Act of 2010 is at the center of promoting public health and prevention of diseases by championing good eating habits as well as defining the context and extent of insurance covers for Americans at risk of obesity.

In order to achieve a healthy nation, various stakeholders under the support of state legal structures pursue different policies. The actions of the state and federal authorities resonate well with public health advocates to promote good eating habits. Menu labeling suffices lots of relevance based on the declaration about calorie information of a food product. According to Krieger (595-596), the provision of nutritional information on menus contributes to healthier purchases of food since people can limit their uptake according to the daily recommended calories. Also, disclosure of food calorie content helps those with high risks to control their diet for long term health benefits. As a result of the policy on disclosure expended through the ACA, people have control of the level of intake of calories and are more informed about the effects associated with the foods they consume.

Protection of breastfeeding mothers by providing support to parents to ensure their children access the best eating habits when they are still young. Most policy interventions pursued by employers encourage employees to maintain a healthy eating habit, and depending on the particular components, they influence health-related behavior. Often, employers implement health screenings, smoking cessation, weight loss and nutritional programs, and biometric measurement, which examines weight, cholesterol, and blood pressure (Binns, MiKyung and Wah, 9). The thematic focus of these healthcare interventions is nutrition as an aspect of a healthy life. The role of the U. S. Nonetheless, ACA authorizes insurance companies to cover preventive services such as obesity screening and counseling stipulated by the USPSTF classification plan.   The Affordable Care Act of 2010 influences the nutritional wellbeing by agitating for dietary service provision, professional development, and treatment needs of people at risk.

The insurance coverage provided under the ACA creates opportunities for a higher demand for Registered Dietitian Nutritionists (RDN), who engage in the prevention and provision of clinical services, namely behavioral interventions, support to nursing mothers, obesity counseling as well as treatment of chronic non-communicable conditions. No wonder Maternal & Child Health training reports that ACA sufficiently supports nutritional practice if the right professionals and interventions for dietary needs are employed to address situations (Food and Drug Administration). Nutrition counseling, for instance, has a capacity to promote lifestyle changes including healthier diets and increased physical activity. As such, the nutrition workforce is spread widely in the clinics, community centers, and public health facilities where they promote healthy eating. The policy supports the already running workplace wellness programs in many organizations and the labeling of foods in restaurants.

Besides, ACA’s Prevention and Public Health Funds are distributed to the states to promote specific programs in the communities, such as surveillance and preventive initiatives (Prevention and Public Health Fund). The fund supports a wide range of evidence-based approaches including community and clinical prevention initiatives, extensive research, the development of public health infrastructure as well as fostering the delivery of immunization and screenings to the target population. Ideally, the fund facilitates prevention and health care delivery initiatives. The food prohibitions require food companies to remove ingredients likely to be health hazards. Examples of policy alternatives used under the prohibition approach include banning trans fats common in restaurants. The federal and state agencies collaborate to implement this policy directive, which benefits consumers.

For instance, The New York City Board of Health’s 2006 act, which banned restaurants and hotels from cooking with trans fats, was a decision based scientific recommendation. Indeed, according to Gorski and Christina (84-85), the resolution aimed to reduce the health risk to consumers as a result of consuming the fats and the final recommendation of other fats. The 2013 restructuring of the USDA led to the circulation of guidelines to control the program. The standards that included items sold in the vending machines, school stores, canteens, and snack bars were anticipated to rely on either the existing legal structure of states implementing the school meal program. The alignment of the USDA with the HHFKA legal framework promotes the realization of a healthy nation.

Gostin argues that school meal policies are a way to reduce temptations of having high calories, providing the opportunity to engage in physical exercise as well as enhancing learning. Therefore, the alignment of HHFKA and USDA objectives helps manage the dietary behaviors of school going kids. Other policies include worksite wellness policies that only promote the availability of only healthy foods that help extend healthy eating during the day. According to Crawford et al. (2019), food procurement policies ensure adherence to nutritional standards and wellness programs for employees. Indeed, large employers facilitate access to healthy foods by providing access to community gardens and even farmer’s markets at the worksite. For instance, Kaiser Permanente successfully delivered over 60 farmers’ markets outside its clinics in over eight counties (Kaiser Permanente).

This goes along with the establishment of standards for food served in government property or projects including existing vending machines. This decision goes along with control of meals served to identified groups such as people in juvenile centers, correctional facilities, and even mental clinics (Health Food Policy Project). Ideally, these policy suggestions by the HFPP helps promote a population that is conscious of eating habits.   Also, HFPP promotes dietary policing by allowing or exempting public behavior such as the recommendation of farmers’ markets, city-operated markets as well as sharing healthy processed foods. HFPP can prohibit the consumption of specific meals upon advice from the institutional departments. Certainly, these codes are benchmarks for the HFPP in its decisions to improve and promote healthy eating.

Conclusion   Healthcare law plays a crucial part in fostering nutrition in the U. S. Since the enactment of the ACA in 2010, a number of activities that promote a healthy lifestyle with a specific focus on food have made indelible progress. Indeed, the grievous implications of poor eating habits on the U. The inclusion of the USPSTF in the implementation of public health policy helps improve diet, physical activity, and behavioral counseling. Such alliances are very active in expanding ACA preventive measures, especially for non-communicable diseases resulting from poor eating habits such as obesity. ACA has also agitated for provision of special dietary services, training of nutrition professionals as well as the establishment of clinics in communities to provide services quickly. Other effective legal healthcare policies implemented in states that promote a healthy diet are licensing and zoning as well as the stipulation of minimum standards for nutrition, and in some cases, prohibiting unhealthy nutrients.

These laws, coupled with the influential institutional support from SNAP, USDA, and WIC, Americans are well placed to reduce the rising deaths due to poor eating habits. "US health professionals’ views on obesity care, training, and self-efficacy. " American Journal of Preventive Medicine 48. Chriqui, Jamie F. , Elizabeth Piekarz, and Frank J. Chaloupka. kaiserpermanente. org/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/CHI_KP_FM_Patron_Survey_2010_Final_Report_12-6-10. pdf. Food and Drug Administration, HHS. "Food labelling; nutrition labeling of standard menu items in restaurants and similar retail food establishments. " Jama 297. Hawkins, Summer Sherburne et al. “Breastfeeding and the Affordable Care Act. ” Pediatric clinics of North America vol. doi: 10. org/static/health/en-us/landing_pages/ farmersmarkets/index. htm?kp_shortcut_referrer=kp. org/farmersmarket. Accessed Oct.