Healthy Food Access and Nutrition Policy | Take Action with Heart Powered

Everyone deserves the chance to live a longer, healthier life.

Access to nutritious, affordable food is essential for good health, but today, food environments often make healthy options harder to access.

Across many communities, nutritious foods are harder to find, cost more or are less available than less healthy options. This helps explain why many families face real barriers to healthy eating and why diet-related diseases remain so common.

What is healthy food access?

Healthy food access means being able to find and afford nutritious foods like vegetables, fruits and whole grains near places people live, learn, work, and eat.

When healthy food access is limited:

• Families may rely on less nutritious options
• Children may miss out on consistent, healthy meals
• People face higher risk of chronic disease

Why healthy food access is a challenge

The issue isn’t just individual choice—it’s the systems around us.

Right now:

• Healthy whole foods are often more expensive than processed options
• Stores and restaurants promote items high in sodium and added sugars
• Nutrition programs don’t always reach everyone who needs them

These conditions shape what people can realistically choose, making healthy eating harder to achieve.

How nutrition policy improves access to healthy food

The good news: nutrition policies can improve food environments and make healthy eating easier.

Effective policies:

• Expand access to healthy school meals
• Strengthen programs like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Produce Prescriptions and Summer Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT)
• Improve restaurant food options and default offerings
• Provide clear nutrition labeling
• Reduce sugary drink consumption

These policy changes make healthier options more available and more affordable, helping prevent heart disease and other chronic diet-related illnesses and, ultimately, improve community health.

Take action on nutrition policy

Heart Powered is the American Heart Association’s grassroots network, advancing policies that improve access to healthy food.

When people speak up, decisionmakers listen. And when communities act together, food systems can change.

👉 Join Heart Powered and take action on nutrition policy today.
Help create a future where healthy food is accessible to everyone.