Health Affairs October 11, 2024
Food is Medicine (FIM) programs are gaining national attention and funding as a method to treat chronic food-related diseases by providing free, nutritious foods to patients. But policy makers should be cautious; FIM may not be the best way to address food and nutrition insecurities for the US population.
In FIM programs, health care professionals identify those suffering from diet-related chronic diseases including type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, hypertension, stroke, metabolic syndrome, some cancers, and others. A dietitian then “prescribes” either free groceries with individuals shopping for themselves using a FIM-funded debit card with restrictions to the purchase of nutritious foods or alternatively prepared meals for delivery or pickup. Prescribed foods and meals may be medically tailored to the health...
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