A recent survey funded by the Rockefeller Foundation reports that most Americans are interested in Food Is Medicine (FIM) programs. This survey included people from a wide range of cultural and political backgrounds.
Food Is Medicine programs might not be something you’re familiar with because, right now, they’re not very common. However, these programs aim to treat and prevent diet-related medical conditions by providing healthy food, offering education on cooking and nutrition, and supporting people as they make changes to their eating habits. In our current healthcare model, food and nutrition are recognized as major factors in many diseases, but support to help people change their diets is often lacking.
Even though these services are rarely offered—and often not covered by insurance when they are—both healthcare providers and patients believe they should be a routine part of preventing and treating chronic diseases. In fact, 9 out of 10 Americans would prefer to manage chronic conditions through healthy eating rather than medication. Four out of five Americans think FIM programs should be covered by both public and private insurance—including 85% of Democrats and 78% of Republicans.
Of course, FIM programs will only succeed if both healthcare providers and patients commit to them. Unfortunately, 49% of the public and 67% of healthcare providers believe that the high cost of healthy food is one of the biggest barriers to healthy eating.
Programs like Rooted Santa Barbara County are key to expanding FIM efforts and helping people stay on track. Rooted provides education for both people with chronic diseases and healthcare providers. Learning about nutrition, food access, cooking, and how food impacts chronic diseases is a crucial first step in making FIM programs effective. By integrating this kind of education into the healthcare system, we can help more people understand how to make meaningful changes and ensure these resources are accessible to people from all backgrounds.
Link to the Rockefeller Foundation’s Report: Public Perception of Food is Medicine In Healthcare
Erin Presant, DO, CCMS is board-certified in Neurology, fellowship trained in Movement Disorders and is a Certified Culinary Medicine Specialist through the American College of Culinary Medicine. Dr. Presant has practiced Neurology and Movement Disorders at UCLA as well through her own practice. She is currently pursuing her board certification in Lifestyle Medicine and working on establishing a Lifestyle Medicine clinic for Neurology patients and their families in Santa Barbara.
Photo by Ella Olsson on Unsplash
