The Right to Food: Building Upon “Food Is Medicine”

Barnidge, Ellen; Stenmark, Sandra H.; Debor, Marydale; Seligman, Hilary K.

doi:10.1016/j.amepre.2020.04.011

Cited by 15 publications

(11 citation statements)

References 6 publications

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“…If food is the equivalent of medicine ( 117 ), then food companies are akin to physicians. The public trusts their doctors to have their best interests at heart, or at least to live up to their pledge: primum non nocere (first do no harm).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Metabolic Matrix: Re-engineering ultraprocessed foods to feed the gut, protect the liver, and support the brain

Harlan

Gow

Kornstädt³

et al. 2023

Front. Nutr.

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Ultraprocessed food is established as a metabolic disruptor acting to increase adiposity, reduce mitochondrial efficiency, drive insulin resistance, alter growth, and contribute to human morbidity and mortality. Consumer packaged goods (CPG) companies are beginning to understand the detrimental impact of the food they market, and have employed substitution strategies to reduce salt, sugar, and fat. However, the harms of ultraprocessed foods are far more complex than any single component, and are not ameliorated by such simple substitutions. Over the past 2 years, the authors have worked with the Kuwaiti Danish Dairy Company (KDD) to conduct a comprehensive scientific evaluation of their entire commercial food and beverage portfolio. Assay of the macronutrients, micronutrients, additives, and toxins contained in each of their products was undertaken to determine the precise nature of each product’s ingredients as well as the health impacts of processing. The authors formed a Scientific Advisory Team (SAT) and developed a tiered “Metabolic Matrix” founded in three science-based principles: (1) protect the liver, (2) feed the gut, and (3) support the brain. The Metabolic Matrix categorizes each product and provides the criteria, metrics, and recommendations for improvement or reformulation. Real-time consultation with the KDD Executive and Operations teams was vital to see these procedures through to fruition. This scientific exercise has enabled KDD to lay the groundwork for improving the health, well-being, and sustainability of their entire product line, while maintaining flavor, economic, and fiscal viability. This process is easily transferrable, and we are sharing this effort and its approaches as a proof-of-concept. The key aim of our work is to not only make ultraprocessed food healthier but to urge other food companies to implement similar analysis and reformulation of their product lines to improve the metabolic health and well-being of consumers worldwide.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Metabolic Matrix: Re-engineering ultraprocessed foods to feed the gut, protect the liver, and support the brain

Harlan

Gow

Kornstädt³

et al. 2023

Front. Nutr.

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“…Studies indicate that ~10–15 % of the US households experienced food insecurity early in the pandemic ( 14 , 15 ), with millions of Americans affected ( 16 – 18 ) and that the total food spending in the first year of the pandemic decreased ( 19 ). The decline in total food spending could likely translate into reduced calorie intake or poor quality food consumption, compounding consumer health risks and food security situations ( 20 , 21 ). Moreover, the pandemic may have changed the attitudinal and behavioral views of consumers about foods, as indicated by lowered eating competence ( 22 ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Food spending in the United States during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic

Dhakal

Acharya

Wang

2022

Front. Public Health

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The COVID-19 pandemic brought about a significant increase in the unemployment rate and a decline in consumer income. At the same time, the public health responses to the pandemic, such as lockdowns and business closures, disrupted the food supply chain. These pandemic-driven changes could lead to a shift in food spending behaviors and potentially exacerbate the food insecurity situation. Leveraging the nationally representative dataset from the 2017–2020 consumer expenditure surveys, we employ a two-part model to assess the changes in weekly household spending on total food, food-at-home (FAH), and food-away-from-home (FAFH) between the pre-pandemic and pandemic period in the United States. Our finding shows a predicted marginal decline in FAFH expenditure by 33.7% but an increase in FAH spending by 6.9% during the pandemic. The increase in FAH spending could not fully offset the decrease in FAFH spending, leading to a decline in total food spending by 12.6%. The results could provide a basis for future studies on food insecurity, nutrient intake, and healthy consumption during the pandemic.

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“…130 In response, numerous new programs, policies, and initiatives seeking to engage the health care system in efforts to bring more nutritious foods to specific patient populations, often referred to as food as medicine, have been implemented. 131 For example, the Gus Schumacher Nutrition Incentive Program produce prescription projects allow clinicians to write prescriptions for fresh fruits and vegetables (or benefits redeemable for fresh fruits and vegetables). 87 The patient populations targeted in these interventions are heterogeneous, spanning primary prevention (eg, patients at high risk of developing type 2 diabetes) to secondary prevention (eg, patients with diabetes).…”

Section: Clinical Statements and Guidelinesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Strengthening US Food Policies and Programs to Promote Equity in Nutrition Security: A Policy Statement From the American Heart Association

Thorndike¹,

Gardner²,

Kendrick³

et al. 2022

Circulation

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Nutritionally inadequate dietary intake is a leading contributor to chronic cardiometabolic diseases. Differences in dietary quality contribute to socioeconomic and racial and ethnic health disparities. Food insecurity, a household-level social or economic condition of limited access to sufficient food, is a common cause of inadequate dietary intake. Although US food assistance policies and programs are designed to improve food security, there is growing consensus that they should have a broader focus on nutrition security. In this policy statement, we define nutrition security as an individual or household condition of having equitable and stable availability, access, affordability, and utilization of foods and beverages that promote well-being and prevent and treat disease. Despite existing policies and programs, significant gaps remain for achieving equity in nutrition security across the life span. We provide recommendations for expanding and improving current food assistance policies and programs to achieve nutrition security. These recommendations are guided by several overarching principles: emphasizing nutritional quality, improving reach, ensuring optimal utilization, improving coordination across programs, ensuring stability of access to programs across the life course, and ensuring equity and dignity for access and utilization. We suggest a critical next step will be to develop and implement national measures of nutrition security that can be added to the current US food security measures. Achieving equity in nutrition security will require coordinated and sustained efforts at the federal, state, and local levels. Future advocacy, innovation, and research will be needed to expand existing food assistance policies and programs and to develop and implement new policies and programs that will improve cardiovascular health and reduce disparities in chronic disease.

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The Right to Food: Building Upon “Food Is Medicine”

Cited by 15 publications

References 6 publications

The Metabolic Matrix: Re-engineering ultraprocessed foods to feed the gut, protect the liver, and support the brain

The Metabolic Matrix: Re-engineering ultraprocessed foods to feed the gut, protect the liver, and support the brain

Food spending in the United States during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic

Strengthening US Food Policies and Programs to Promote Equity in Nutrition Security: A Policy Statement From the American Heart Association

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