Food as Medicine in American Healthcare: Can Food Solve the Crisis It Created?

Abstract

“Food as Medicine” (FAM) is a critical link between the foods we consume and our overall health. FAM adopts nutrition-based treatment, with existing healthcare to mitigate “metabolic” diseases. Despite advancements in medicine, healthcare technology, and treatments, chronic diseases affect nearly 50% of Americans and are attributed to 86% of healthcare costs. FAM initiatives have yet to advance beyond pilot programs and remain virtually unavailable to the US population. Pilot programs are producing promising results with healthier outcomes for patients. Economic assessments indicate net cost savings in healthcare expenditures. Three primary interventions are consistently effective in achieving positive health outcomes: medically tailored meals, medically tailored groceries, and prescription food programs. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and the US Department of Agriculture are both currently advancing FAM research and pilot programs with the cooperation of the National Institutes of Health Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion and the Office of Nutrition Research. The full potential of FAM can be realized when the federal government is able to successfully incorporate and financially support nationwide FAM treatments, including nutrition education and healthy foods into the existing healthcare system.