WASHINGTON—In an effort to boost the nation’s appetite, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced Tuesday that July would be designated Food Awareness Month as part of a program to rekindle American interest in eating. “We’re excited to announce this campaign will stretch over the entire course of July and comprise programs to educate Americans about breakfasts, lunches, dinners, and even snacks,” said FDA commissioner Scott Gottlieb, adding that the multi-billion-dollar ad campaign would include coordinated television PSAs, interstate billboards, and after-school programs designed to “put food out into the culture.” “We just want more Americans to know they are free to eat any edible item, and that doing so has mostly positive effects. Far too many Americans are oblivious to food’s nutritional benefits and, frankly, its great taste. The eating of food is an important part of a healthy lifestyle, but unfortunately, many people don’t realize they have a hankering for sustenance until it’s too late. Similar initiatives have worked wonders in Scandinavian countries, and with any luck, U.S. citizens will be digesting food in no time.” Gottlieb further speculated that the program, if launched earlier, could have prevented the American Southwest from starving to death last February.

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