AUSTIN, Texas – The health of Americans has decreased over the past four decades with more cases of obesity, diabetes and autism being reported. 

The Senate Committee on Health and Human Services on Wednesday held a hearing to examine the link between bad nutrition and chronic disease. 

“The U.S. spends a staggering $4.5 trillion annually on health care. Ninety percent of the nation’s trillions in annual health care expenditures are for chronic and mental health conditions,” Committee Chair Sen. Lois Kolkhorst said. “Can I say that again? Ninety percent of that $4.5 trillion are chronic and mental health conditions. And yet we’re not asking for the root cause. Some of you are. But I don’t think that our government has focused on that as much as we should.”

More than 70% of the American food supply, according to Kolkhorst, is made up of ultra-processed products.  Studies have shown a link to chronic disease.

“So, when we talk about Texas, we can move the needle,” Kolkhorst said. 

It was noted that some American-made food products sold in states like California and other countries, are different.  In those places, the use of certain chemicals is prohibited. Committee member Sen. Bob Hall has spent the past several sessions talking about the risks of processed foods. 

“So, I think it’s time that we shined a very bright light on what’s being done to the food we consume because nobody has a choice anymore,” the Republican from Edgewood said. 

In saying that, Hall acknowledged passing similar California-type food restrictions in Texas could be difficult.

“People need to know. And if we can’t stop the bad stuff that’s happening to the food before it least needs to be labeled,” Hall said. “And we definitely will be working on labeling bills on some of the more heinous things that are in the product. So, people make a choice. They can buy it if they want to, but they’ll be informed about it.”

The committee also discussed how the farming community uses pesticides and genetically modified seeds. Controversial applications, but Cliff Lamb with the Texas A&M Agrilife research told the committee there are benefits to scientific advancements.

“The work we do aims to provide solutions to diet related chronic diseases such as diabetes and obesity. Some examples of some of the work that we’re currently doing is decreasing starch in potatoes or fortifying fruits and vegetables with increased by the availability of vitamins or being able to upcycle protein from highly digestible carbohydrates,” Lamb said.

The overall impact on health that the committee is trying to achieve, warned Sen. Charles Perry, is not clear-cut.

“It’s multifaceted. It bears a lot of thought and discussion,” Perry said. “It will require a cultural transformation from convenience to nutritional focus to get us to where we want to move back to.”

The committee also discussed how residential living facilities for seniors and people with disabilities reacted during recent natural disasters. They are looking at the possibility of increasing rules regarding on-site generators and evacuation plans.