The State of Food as Medicine
April 18, 2023 - By ARC Health & Wellness Community
Stacy Bates, MS, RDN, LD, CDE, H-E-B Director Wellness Nutrition Strategy
Krystal Register, MS, RDN, LDN, Senior Director Health & Wellbeing, FMI
Food as Medicine has established itself as a reputable movement and national priority, and there has been an increased interest and investment in the space. With that, there is a need to level-set an industry-wide approach to this topic to ensure that the long-term positive opportunities to leverage food for better health are not overshadowed by misguided recommendations and false claims. Opportunity arises within the retail setting to responsibly innovate and implement programs to help consumers leverage food for health while emphasizing the importance of culture, family meals, and the enjoyment of food. Many different platforms, from retailers to healthcare providers, are using the term “Food as Medicine” though currently there is no consistent definition widely recognized by the public, healthcare professionals or the food industry. In this session, the presenters will discuss current policy, where and how retail dietitians can get involved, and identify obstacles that still need to be overcome.