Defining Food Is Medicine

The American Heart Association defines food is medicine (FIM) as the provision of healthy food such as produce prescriptions, medically tailored groceries and medically tailored meals to treat, manage or prevent diet-related health conditions in a way that is integrated with and paid for by the health care sector. Patients are referred to these services by a health care professional, health care organization or health insurance plan.

Preliminary evidence suggests that incorporating FIM programs into health care may improve health outcomes, reduce health care utilization and costs, address health disparities and reduce nutrition and food insecurity for patients living with diseases impacted by what they eat. Robust research funded by Health Care by Food, as well as among the broader FIM community, seeks to identify clinical efficacy and cost effectiveness to sustainably support and scale access for improved diet-related disease outcomes. An inherent challenge is that FIM as a health care intervention lacks a standard definition to successfully take FIM to scale and fully integrate it into the health care delivery system. Stakeholders and policymakers must establish a standardized and targeted definition for FIM interventions.

Recognizing the inextricable link between nutrition and health, and the soaring burden and cost of diet-related health conditions, FIM interventions are increasingly gaining attention from policymakers, payors and health care professionals as a promising approach to address acute and chronic health conditions in the health care setting. Food is medicine is distinct from, yet complementary to, food and nutrition assistance programs and population-level healthy food policies and programs.

Food Is Medicine Interventions

A FIM treatment plan for an individual with a defined medical diagnosis must be prescribed by a health care professional or health plan. These plans are often accompanied by nutrition education and/or counseling and paired with support services provided by registered dietitian nutritionists or community health workers. Food sourcing varies across FIM programs and often incorporates community partners. FIM interventions commonly include:
Healthy Food Prescription Programs

Produce Prescriptions

Produce prescriptions (PRx) are designed to increase access to fruits and vegetables for those who either have or are at risk for a diet-related condition. These may take the form of a financial incentive, in which participants receive vouchers or electronic cards to purchase or redeem fruits and vegetables of their choice at a retail store, farmers market or online. Alternatively, participants may receive a box of fruits and vegetables, commonly with pre-selected produce. Typically, PRx are provided to people who screen positive for food insecurity in a clinical setting or have a low income and a diet-related chronic condition, such as type 2 diabetes.

Medically Tailored Groceries

Medically tailored groceries (MTG) provide unprepared or lightly processed foods, including fruits and vegetables, whole grains, legumes and lean proteins—selected by a registered dietitian nutritionist—that are appropriate for the individual’s condition. MTGs can be home delivered, ordered from an online grocery store or picked up at distribution sites such as a food pantry, clinic or food pharmacy, or other community setting. Typically, MTG interventions are for a broad range of people who have at least one diet-related chronic condition and can prepare meals for themselves at home.

Medically Tailored Groceries
Medically Tailored Meals

Medically Tailored Meals

Medically Tailored Meals (MTM) are fully prepared, often home-delivered meals and snacks that are tailored by a registered dietitian nutritionist to meet the nutritional of a person with a diet-related condition. This intervention has been primarily considered for patients living with acute exacerbations of chronic conditions who may be unable to shop for or prepare meals for themselves. These programs typically enroll people experiencing food insecurity or who have low income but who also have at least one chronic health condition (such as heart failure or kidney disease).