Advances in Food-as-Medicine interventions and their impact on future food production, processing, and supply chains

Top Things to Know

 FAM interventions can significantly reduce healthcare costs by preventing and managing diseases through dietary changes.

The shift towards healthier diets will require significant changes in food production, processing, and supply chains to ensure the availability of nutritious foods.

More research is needed to determine the optimal level of individualization in FAM interventions to maximize health benefits and cost-effectiveness.

Summary of Conclusion/Findings

The review explored the emerging trend of using food as part of health plans to prevent and treat acute and chronic health conditions. It highlights the potential of Food-As-Medicine (FAM) interventions to reduce healthcare costs and improve health outcomes by promoting the consumption of whole, minimally processed, and functional foods. The review discusses the challenges of individualizing FAM interventions due to the complexity of human responses to food, and the need for more research to determine the most effective levels of individualization. It also emphasizes the impact of FAM on food production and supply chains, requiring adjustments to meet the demand for healthier foods.