You have to keep in mind that everything in the US (health care, education, food industry (which causes the health problem)) is harnessed just for one single purpose: Make money for the share holders. Subsequently the US goverment doesn't serve the people and their interest, it serves the interest of these big companies.
This whole system is optimized for making money for the select few, not to cater for the society by and large. Therefore it creates these unfortunate side effects.