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Food Bank News: Food Bank Seeks to Make Business Case for Food as Medicine

Limited access to food and nutrition can make it difficult to eat the recommended diet that is high in protein, fruits, and vegetables and low in fat and carbohydrates. People experiencing food insecurity may also have limited resources making maintenance medications for diabetes unaffordable. Additionally, engaging in regular physical activity can be challenging given the stress associated with food insecurity and lack of safe recreational spaces.

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Vox: Why food and housing assistance is essential for improving America’s health

Social determinants are a bedrock of public health theory, but US politicians don’t always talk about food assistance, financial aid, or other welfare programs as part of their strategy to improve the nation’s health. Even so, the two spheres are inextricably linked. That knowledge is starting to permeate more of the policy debate, as the health care industry itself signals that addressing structural contributors to people’s health is necessary to improve the long-term trends described above.

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RESEARCH

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BMJ: Food is Medicine: Actions to Integrate Food and Nutrition into Healthcare

BMJ, 2020
As healthcare systems continue to evolve to tackle the global crisis of nutrition related disease, food is medicine interventions should be held to rigorous standards when decisions about implementation, coverage, and care are made. But they can no longer be categorically excluded as outside of or ancillary to healthcare delivery, as they have been in the past across many healthcare systems. Integration of food and nutrition interventions into healthcare holds significant promise for meeting immediate nutrition needs while working in harmony with broader, long term health and food system reforms.
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JAMA: Association Between Receipt of a Medically Tailored Meal Program and Health Care Use

JAMA, 2019
Participation in a medically tailored meals program appears to be associated with fewer hospital and skilled nursing admissions and less overall medical spending. As the focus of health care in the United States turns to population health, the ability to intervene on health-related social needs will become increasingly important for improving both health and the value of health care. Medically tailored meal programs represent promising interventions and deserve further study as we seek to improve health for all Americans, particularly the most vulnerable.
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Feeding America’s The Healthcare Costs of Food Insecurity

Feeding America Research
A growing body of Produce Rx programs allow individuals living with diet-related chronic illnesses to access vouchers for fruits and vegetables. This episode explores the implementation and funding of Produce Rx programs, using DC Greens as a case study. Then we take a look at the big picture questions these programs pose for future nutrition and public health policy, particularly in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Food is Medicine Missouri is a statewide collaborative increasing awareness about the importance of food and nutrition for overall health.

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