According to the Aspen Institute, more than half of American adults suffer from at least one chronic, diet-related disease. To blame: the food they eat. The solution: the food they eat. The right food and nutrition can aid in the prevention and management of chronic disease and even reverse it, saving millions of lives and billions in annual health care costs if “food as medicine” is introduced at a large scale.
What we eat impacts not only our body weight but also our nutrient absorption, blood sugar, cholesterol, energy levels, and risk for heart disease and other chronic diseases, especially for older adults. Our national health care “bill” for diet-related diseases is $1.1 trillion, according to The Rockefeller Foundation.
Look at the Blue Zones Around the World
Researchers who have studied the octogenarians, nonagenarians, and centenarians in the five Blue Zones around the world – geographic areas with lower rates of chronic diseases and a longer life expectancy – found that diet plays a huge role in the inhabitants’ longevity and good health in these areas. The Blue Zones include Ikaria, an island in Greece; Ogliastra, in Sardinia, Italy; Okinawa in Japan; Nicoya Peninsula, Costa Rica; and the Seventh-day Adventists in Loma Linda, California.
The diet in the Blue Zones includes mainly vegetables, legumes, whole grains, and nuts. Inhabitants also eat fewer calories and have moderate alcohol consumption.
Integrating Food as Medicine Intervention in Health Care
Using food as a formal part of patient care and treatment has gained traction over the last few years. Food as medicine interventions include medically tailored meals (also called therapeutic meals), medically tailored groceries (sometimes known as food “farmacies” or healthy food prescriptions), and produce prescriptions, according to BMJ, a global health care knowledge provider. These interventions are typically directed by clinicians through the health care system, provided at no cost or very low cost to the patient, and funded by government or philanthropic organizations.
BMJ cites several food is medicine programs in the United States. For example, Massachusetts utilizes “Food is Medicine” interventions with high-risk populations. The government pays for these services through the health care system. Launched in 2019, the Massachusetts program provides home delivered meals (medically tailored and non-medically tailored), groceries, assistance applying for non-health care nutrition programs, household supplies to meet dietary needs (cooking implements), nutrition skills development through education and cooking classes, and transportation to meet nutritional needs.
Food is medicine is based on the belief that the food we consume has a significant impact on our general health and well-being. It is crucial to highlight that, while food can be an effective tool for preserving and improving health, it is not a substitute for medical therapy when it is required. A well-balanced diet should be used in conjunction with adequate medical care and therapy under the supervision of healthcare specialists.
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