The USA annually spends almost the same amount of money on diet-related healthcare as it does on food consumption. 90% of U.S. healthcare spending goes into chronic disease treatment stemming from dietary issues. No wonder that “Food is Medicine” is such a hot topic in the U.S.! Despite such massive costs on food, the country records hundreds of thousands of deaths due to diet-related problems.
The movement targets such issues in fighting disease with nutritious foods accessible to every individual. The debate is centered around how nutrition can be incorporated into our diet to prevent chronic diseases. Science has recognized that food holds healing and immunizing properties for human physiology.
You guessed it! Food as Medicine has popularized nutrition apps, dietitians, AI-powered health tracking devices, and so much more. Nutrition education has empowered individuals to monitor, track, and improve their health personally and independently. It is not just an individually customized program but tailored into the entire healthcare system for wider transformation. U.S. health experts are recognizing the importance of making nutrition and its education accessible to all.
FIM “Prescription Foods”
For the “Food is Medicine” movement in the United States, prescription food interventions include medical recipes that aim at preventing and treating chronic diseases resulting from unhealthy diets. Such interventions have found their way into the practice of delivering health care, thanks to organizations such as the AMA and HHS.
Medically Tailored Meals (MTMs)
Medically tailored meals are complete, evidence-based meals that are prescribed by a registered dietitian for patients with complex chronic illnesses (such as diabetes, heart disease, and cancer). MTM program has delivered more than 15 million medically tailored meals.
- Foods are customized according to the strict nutritional requirements and medical conditions of patients.
- Meals are delivered directly in collaboration with nonprofit and healthcare organizations.
- It is proven to reduce hospitalizations, healthcare costs, and improve the outcomes of patients.
Medically Tailored Groceries (MTGs)
Medically tailored groceries refer to providing grocery items to patients as per their medical needs. The boxes are full of minimally processed produce like lean meat and legumes. The patients get a customized meal kit with complementary items according to their illness. It can be received at healthcare settings, distribution sites, or by delivery systems.
- Patients get boxes with healthy foods such as low-sodium and high-fiber foods weekly.
- Patients usually get nutrition education along with food boxes to learn about cooking foods.
- It helps make long-term changes in dietary patterns of the patient rather than providing short-term solutions.
Produce Prescription Programs
Produce prescriptions refer to providing fruits and vegetables to patients as a substitute for medicines. These patients have a diet-related chronic illness and//or low income and receive vouchers or food at little to no cost.
- Patients get vouchers or subsidies for buying healthy foods from local grocery stores and farmers’ markets.
- It helps deal with food insecurity problems of patients and provides them with a healthy diet as well.
- There are proven reductions in blood pressure levels, glycemic control, and better health status of the patients.
Nutrition Incentive Programs
SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) is one of the common Nutrition Incentive programs. Nutrition incentives increase access to healthy foods such as fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. The benefit is increased access to food through purchase matching and reduced prices for the purchase of nutritious foods, usually using SNAP.
This could include the purchase of $10 worth of vegetables using SNAP, earning an additional $10 in the process. The program cultivates better consumption habits among poor people, hence reducing the nutritional disparity.
SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) is one of the common Nutrition Incentive programs.
Aims of the Food is Medicine Program
The “Food as Medicine” or “Food is Medicine” program aims to reduce rising healthcare costs and support better access to nutritious, less processed food for those who are deprived of it or have a low income. American schools are also teaching nutrition as a curriculum.
People are learning that processed foods are known to increase deaths. This is known as food insecurity: the lack of nutritious food essential for living a safe and nourished life. 48 million people in the U.S. suffer from food insecurity. This means that they don’t know what their next meal will be and where it will come from.
The channels of Food in Medicine are:
- Grocery retail stores
- Food Pharmacies or “Farmacies”
- Food Delivery Services
- Charities
- Healthcare centers
- MTM Providers
- Local Food Banks
Federal agencies and nonprofit health charities like the USDA highlight the intake of lean proteins, eggs, seafood, dairy products, and unprocessed, lean meat.
People are provided with enhanced access to nutrition education and affordability. U.S. clinicians also received very little nutrition-related education before the Food and Medicine program.
Nutritious food is known to prevent disease, lower healthcare costs, and improve overall health quality. Studies and evidence highlight lower health risks and improved disease management among individuals. Clinicians are also associating nutrition intake with cardiovascular health.
Who is “Food As Medicine” for?
Food as Medicine is a healthcare framework, program, and policy designed for those suffering from chronic health conditions or diet-related health conditions.
- The patients are suffering from chronic conditions like heart disease, type-2 diabetes, hypertension, cancer, and chronic kidney disease (CKD).
- Patients who need nutritional after-care and have just been discharged from the hospital.
- People who are unaware of or have less access to nutritious food due to economic, logistical, or geographic reasons.
Food as Medicine: Practical Health Benefits
Food as Medicine is a strong strategy involving nutrition in the crucial prevention and management of chronic diseases. This movement does not emphasize only the use of drugs but highlights the power of proper nutrition in enhancing health outcomes as well as in saving healthcare costs. FIM makes it possible for healthcare practitioners to analyze and assist their patients in managing chronic illnesses such as diabetes, hypertension, and obesity.
It helps in addressing and targeting the root cause of the problem rather than the symptoms of the problem. In the case of diabetes, plant-based foods reduce blood sugar levels and therefore reduce insulin resistance, while in the case of heart diseases, a Mediterranean-style diet is effective in making the heart healthy.
Apart from physical illnesses, nutrition is also very important when it comes to mental health, as diets that are full of omega-3s and fiber reduce depression and anxiety.
- Lowers blood pressure and cholesterol – fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and healthy oils promote heart health. Mediterranean diets lower rates of heart disease.
- Balances blood sugar levels – whole grains, beans, and lean protein sources can help regulate sugar and treat diabetes.
- Promotes a healthy body weight – high-fiber, nutrient-rich foods promote feelings of fullness and decrease calories.
- Decreases inflammation – antioxidants and omega-3 fatty acids found in nuts, fish, and oils decrease inflammation.
- Improves digestion and immune system health – fiber and fermented/low-fat dairy help good bacteria thrive.
- Increases energy levels and mood – regulated blood sugar and nutrients can help throughout the day.
- Makes medications work better – proper nutrition can make your medicines more effective, absorbed, and FIM has improved the previously poor adherence levels of people.
- Practical and affordable swaps – switching from processed food to these foods is easy and inexpensive.
What is the DASH Diet?
The Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet is a clinically tested nutritional framework aimed at lowering blood pressure. This approach recommends high intake of potassium-, calcium-, magnesium-, and fiber-rich foods.
- Veggies and fruits: Potassium and antioxidants.
- Whole grains: Provide magnesium and complex carbohydrates.
- Low-fat dairy products: Calcium and protein sources.
- Lean proteins: Fish, poultry, beans, nuts.
- Sodium, saturated fat, and sugar in low amounts.
How does your body respond to such food?
- Calcium controls the tone of the vessels
- Magnesium is used as a vasodilator
- Fiber decreases LDL cholesterol levels
All these functions contribute to the decrease in systemic vascular resistance and heart burden, causing the decline in both systolic and diastolic blood pressure. The clinical studies prove that the DASH diet decreases systolic blood pressure by 13 mmHg and diastolic blood pressure by 10 mmHg.
The DASH diet has a scientific foundation and is effective in lowering blood pressure by:
- vascular function improvement
- decreased extracellular fluid volume
- improved lipid metabolism
Outcomes of Food as Medicine
- Medically tailored meals are highly popular meals that have reportedly decreased 1.6 million hospitalizations and saved healthcare expenses of $13.6 billion.
- Mental health patients reported lower disturbance with quality of life.
- FIM has reduced BMI, waist circumference, hospital visits, mortality, and food insecurity.
- Self-management and adherence to medication and dietary requirements have increased.
Diabetes
- Low levels of HbA1c and improvement in blood glucose levels.
- Dependence on fewer drugs when used together with dietary advice.
- Vegetarian diets are associated with less insulin resistance.
Cardiovascular Disease
- Reduction in blood pressure and cholesterol levels.
- Decrease in heart failure readmission risk.
- Mediterranean diets enhance endothelial function and decrease inflammation.
Cancer
- Nutrient-packed diets help patients tolerate treatments and recover.
- Antioxidant-rich foods reduce oxidative stress.
- Better survival in breast and colorectal cancer due to higher fiber intake.
Obesity
- Weight loss and improved BMI regulation through structured meal plans.
- Fewer risks of obesity-related conditions such as sleep apnea and fatty liver.
Gut Health
- A high-fiber diet increases gut microbiota diversity.
- Symptom reduction in irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).
Read More: How are doctors backing the Food is Medicine movement?
AI technology trend in health and nutrition
Food customization is a valued Gen-Z advancement, and so is AI in Food as Medicine. The movement, along with AI, is advancing ancient nutritional knowledge and foundations. It is blurring the line between drug medication and food.
Consider technologies like small personal diet coaches integrated into various gadgets such as:
- smart food scales able to identify foods and calculate their caloric values
- connected blenders able to offer some recipes based on available products
- wearables able to detect metabolic changes
- smart plates or forks able to analyze portion size and eating speed
The key point is AI, which uses data about weight, color, bite patterns, or glucose levels to create a machine learning model. This will provide some estimates of portion, nutrients, or personalized tips based on behavioral science.
- For instance, the smart plate is able to use image recognition and a camera to identify foods and to estimate the grams of carbs, protein, and fats. It then integrates with the app to record meals automatically.
- Wearables detect the moment when the body reacts negatively to some meals and give AI-driven recommendations or alternatives with 85% accuracy.
- They estimate metabolic activity, monitor glucose levels, and detect physical workouts using AI pattern recognition or sensors.
- AI records and provides data-driven insights based on stress, sleep activity, nutrition composition, hydration, physical activity, etc.
Wearables are set to reach a market of $85 billion by 2030. These devices are often integrated with nutrition apps and dietitians; therefore, some insights can be used in practice. It uses predictive modeling and biometric data loops for tracking and recommendations.
There are some limitations of these devices. In particular, image-based errors, health data confidentiality concerns, and the device is just a support to healthcare professionals, not a replacement.
