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Food as Medicine movement offers growth opportunity for U.S. agriculture

The Director of the Food is Medicine Institute at Tuffs University says he expects to see nutrition as a more prioritized part of healthcare moving forward.

Dariush Mozaffarian says the point of using food as medicine is to increase consumption of protective foods to reduce health challenges.

“We really have a 20th-century food system with 21st century problems,” he says. “We’ve addressed vitamin deficiencies, we’ve addressed caloric deficiencies, amazing successes, but we’ve created ultra-processed foods which are making us sick, and this is now why we need a new bridge to the future. How do we fix this?”

He says addressing barriers to healthy food for individuals and communities could save the U.S. $13.6 billion per year and provide farmers new opportunities.

“Healthcare is $1 in $5 in the economy, much much bigger than the entire agricultural system or the entire food system,” he explains. “How can we leverage some of these dollars to start to reward farmers and start to turn around a regenerative and resilient local food systems?”

A recent study by the Institute found more than 90 percent of Americans believe eating healthier foods helps prevent the onset of health conditions.

Mozaffarian points to whole and minimally processed choices.

“Fruits, nuts, fish, vegetables, plant oils, including seed oils, very healthy,” he shares. “Whole grains, beans, and yogurt, minimally processed fiber, rich phenolic-rich fish have Omega threes, yogurt has live probiotics. There are foods to eat in moderation: cheese, poultry, milk, eggs, butter, and unprocessed red meats.”

He says nearly 20 states recently incorporating food as medicine into Medicaid coverage is likely just the start of how nutrition will address health needs.

Mozaffarian spoke at the recent 3^rd Annual Food is Medicine Summit in Boston, which brought together nutrition and healthcare leaders from across the U.S.