(Kansas City) — Missourians are gaining new insight into the powerful role of food in medicine as experts and organizations advocate a shift toward a food-as-medicine approach.
Kelsey Gardiner, assistant professor of nursing and health research at the University of Missouri-Kansas City, emphasized the important link between access to healthy foods and improved health outcomes. He noted that people facing food insecurity often have higher rates of chronic disease, and stressed the urgent need for systemic changes to strengthen food access.
“There are things we can do, and solid change is happening across the country through policy and infrastructure changes,” Gardiner said. “More can be done in Missouri to increase access to healthy foods that are directly linked to improved health outcomes.”
Gardiner emphasized the potential of medicinal food interventions in preventing chronic diseases and reducing health care costs. He said recent studies show that such interventions could result in losses of $13.6 billion per year. Cost reduction Improvements in some health outcomes have also been seen, making it a valuable addition to medical strategies.
Cale Martin, People Impact Strategist at Health Forward Foundation, says it’s paramount to focus on communities affected by systemic racism, socio-economic challenges and limited access to health care. said. Food as medicine is considered a strategic approach to promoting health equity, especially in areas where systemic barriers impede optimal health.
“We know that a healthy diet can prevent chronic disease, but it can also be a treatment option,” Martin emphasized. “Having that connection within our health care system and really integrating these interventions could have a huge impact for many patients.”
While progress has been made; ongoing nationwide Missouri, along with other states such as Massachusetts, California, and North Carolina, are developing approaches to integrating food as medicine into health care systems and policies. Efforts are underway to advance legislation to support these efforts, and several federal laws regarding medically tailored diets are gaining traction.
