OMAHA, Neb. (WOWT) – A new study directly links ultra-processed foods to higher rates of chronic diseases, calling it “an urgent public health threat.”
Authors of the study say relying solely on changing behavior isn’t enough. They’re advocating for policies to regulate ultra-processed foods and a system that supports local food producers.
An Omaha nonprofit is already doing this work in the community. No More Empty Pots teaches gardening and cooking classes to make fresh food preparation less intimidating while helping people access and choose locally produced foods instead of ultra-processed options.
Learning skills to get healthy
“I honestly was never really that interested in farming until the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020,” said Decker Gabriel Woods, community education manager for No More Empty Pots and urban farmer. “I saw how the national food chain really was disrupted and it made me want to grow food here.”…