Advancing Food is Medicine in the United States

Advancing the health and economic case, together with a coordinated education and advocacy strategy for healthcare and policy leaders, for FIM initiatives

Given the role of nutrition in health and well-being, socioeconomic disparities, and healthcare spending, the time has come to implement, evaluate, and scale Food is Medicine (FIM) to leverage food’s role in health care and public health. A remarkable national acceleration of FIM builds on public and clinician awareness of the central role of food in well-being; the accelerating consumer demand for, and corresponding industry shifts toward, healthier foods; the continuing rise in healthcare spending for preventable diet-related conditions; and the growing recognition that individual consumers cannot be solely responsible for overcoming the current challenges of the food system.

In previous work, the Food is Medicine Institute team has demonstrated success and impact in increasing awareness of and advocating for FIM interventions, targeting healthcare systems, the media, and policy leaders, which can improve nutrition security and increase health equity. Our team has made significant progress with prior projects, inclduing hosting a FIM National Summit, holding a Congressional briefing on the true cost of Food is Medicine and producing a polished accompanying report, leveraging our experience and networks of organizations and relationships in Washington, DC to advance the policy conversation, and continuing to convene and activate a diverse coalition of supportive advocacy, academic, clinical, and business organizations and institutions.

This project aims to advance the health and economic case, together with a coordinated education and advocacy strategy for healthcare and policy leaders, for FIM initiatives, particularly produce prescriptions and medically tailored meals. The coordinated, focused activities of this project will harness the energy and enthusiasm of this prior work, related activities of our collaborators and other stakeholders, and existing federal and state efforts to help translate the evidence base and foster greater awareness of key relevant actions to advance FIM.

Aim One

Convene two major FIM National Summits

Aim Two

Communicate and promote understanding of the evidence on FIM for policy makers, private payers, and other key stakeholders

Aim Three

Provide non-partisan technical assistance, education, and support for government and private decision makers and agencies looking to adopt FIM

Aim Four

Cultivate our Food and Nutrition Advisory Coalition and other stakeholder coalitions to further support and assist in the implementation of FIM

Aim Five

Produce a new polished resource document that translates the results of new FIM research projects to diverse stakeholders