America is facing a national health emergency of unprecedented proportions. Over four in ten Americans are obese, and one in five children now suffers from obesity as well. Type 2 diabetes, once considered a disease of middle-aged adults, is now showing up in children at alarming rates. The reality is grim: teenagers are undergoing liver transplants due to fatty liver disease caused by excessive soda consumption, while the food and pharmaceutical industries continue to profit. The crisis is not just a personal health issue but a systemic failure, driven by corporate interests and government policies that favor disease management over prevention.

For decades, Americans have been told that obesity and metabolic diseases are simply a matter of personal responsibility—just eat less and move more. But the truth is far more complicated. The modern food environment is engineered for overconsumption. Ultra-processed foods, loaded with refined sugars and industrial seed oils, dominate supermarket shelves and school cafeterias. These foods are designed to be addictive, triggering pleasure centers in the brain while providing little nutritional value. Meanwhile, aggressive marketing campaigns target children, normalizing the consumption of high-sugar, high-fat, ultra-processed products from an early age.

The consequences of this manufactured diet are staggering. Childhood diabetes is rising at a pace never seen before. According to the CDC, diagnoses of Type 2 diabetes among children and adolescents increased by 95% between 2001 and 2017. What was once a disease that almost exclusively affected adults is now affecting children as young as eight years old. This trend is not just a statistical anomaly—it’s a sign of systemic failure.

Fatty liver disease, long associated with alcoholism, is now widespread among children and adolescents who have never had a drop of alcohol in their lives. Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) affects nearly 10% of all children and up to 40% of children with obesity. Some teens are developing such severe liver damage that they require transplants—at an age when they should be playing sports, preparing for college, or simply enjoying their youth. This crisis is fueled by excessive sugar intake, particularly from sugary beverages, which are heavily marketed and readily available in schools and convenience stores across the country.

Adults are not faring much better. More than 37 million Americans—about 11% of the population—are living with diabetes, and an estimated 96 million more are prediabetic. Many don’t even know they have the condition until they experience severe complications. Type 2 diabetes is a progressive disease, leading to kidney failure, amputations, blindness, and increased risk of heart disease and stroke. The financial burden on the healthcare system is astronomical, with diabetes-related healthcare costs exceeding $327 billion annually.

Behind this crisis are powerful multinational corporations that continue to profit while taxpayers foot the bill. The food industry, with its relentless promotion of ultra-processed products, plays a major role in driving diet-related diseases. Meanwhile, the pharmaceutical industry benefits from treating, rather than preventing, these conditions. The diabetes drug market alone is worth billions of dollars annually, incentivizing a system that prioritizes managing symptoms over addressing root causes.

Government policies have also contributed to the problem. Agricultural subsidies favor crops like corn, wheat, and soy—ingredients that form the backbone of processed foods—while healthier options like fresh fruits and vegetables remain relatively expensive. The USDA’s dietary guidelines, influenced by corporate lobbying, have long promoted outdated and misleading nutrition advice, making it harder for consumers to make informed choices about their health. Schools, often strapped for funding, continue to serve highly processed, low-nutrient meals to children, further entrenching unhealthy eating habits.

Americans deserve better. Clear, honest food labeling should be the norm, not the exception. Policies should prioritize public health over corporate interests. Transparency in food production and marketing must be enforced to ensure that consumers can make informed choices about what they eat. Education on nutrition and metabolic health should be a fundamental part of school curriculums, empowering young people with the knowledge they need to make healthier decisions for themselves.

But addressing this crisis goes beyond policy changes. It requires a shift in mindset—a move away from the idea that chronic disease is inevitable and toward the belief that metabolic health is within our control. Real food, movement, and lifestyle-based interventions should be at the core of healthcare, not just an afterthought. The notion that we have a “disease-care” system rather than a true healthcare system has never been more apparent. If we fail to act now, the long-term consequences will be devastating. Our healthcare system will be overwhelmed, and future generations will inherit a nation where chronic disease is the norm rather than the exception.

This is not a distant threat; it is happening now. Without intervention, rates of obesity, diabetes, and metabolic diseases will continue to skyrocket. The economic impact alone should be enough to prompt action, but more importantly, this is about quality of life. It is about saving lives, restoring health, and ensuring that future generations are not burdened with preventable diseases. The time to act is now. The solutions exist—we just need the will to implement them. A future where metabolic health is prioritized over corporate profits is not only possible; it is necessary.