Written by Erin Yeh
May 8, 2026 | During the main opening session this week The pinnacle of food as medicine In Chicago, Rick Leach, executive director of the Food as Medicine Initiative at Arizona State University, began by quoting Charles Dickens’ A Tale of Two Cities to describe the current climate of the food as medicine industry.
“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times,” he said. “Just to set the stage, here are things that would indicate the worst of times.”
Diet-related diseases are a leading cause of death and disability in the United States, with 600,000 people dying each year from diet-related diseases. The statistics don’t stop there. One in five children in the United States is obese. About 32% of teens have diabetes, and 60% of adults have one or more diet-related diseases. The US economy is harmed by about $1.1 trillion annually due to rising health care costs and loss of productivity. But more importantly, these diet-related diseases and health conditions are devastating families and communities across the country.
Leach stressed that this is a national crisis. However, it is all completely preventable.
He moderated the panel, which consisted of four industry experts: Pillai’s caseVice President of Health Drivers at Centene; Jetta Maker ClarkMD, ABOIM, associate director of Culinary Medicine and clinical assistant professor at Pritzker School of Medicine and director of integrative nutrition and advocacy at the University of Chicago and Endeavor Health; Shrila F. SharmaPh.D., professor and vice chair of the Department of Epidemiology and director of the Center for Health Equity Research at the University of Texas, Houston; and Jim ThornePresident of Nourish Ventures and Senior Vice President of Partnerships and Strategy at Griffith Foods Ltd. Their conversation explored the growing momentum of the food as medicine movement and how we are also in the best of times for food as medicine.
Nutrition education and knowledge
In the Committee’s view, one of the biggest contributors to the current health care crisis is the lack of integration of nutrition into health care. About 87% of doctors do not feel adequately trained to provide patient guidance on nutrition. But the responsibility does not fall only on doctors.
“The challenges doctors face are not entirely due to our lack of nutrition education,” Meeker-Clark said. “A single doctor or even a community of doctors cannot care for a patient in one or multiple visits because we do not have the systemic support.”
This is where food as medicine programs can step in and address nutritional education for doctors and patients. Meeker-Clark cited the University of Chicago Culinary Medicine Program and Endeavor Health as examples. The program teaches nutritional sciences and culinary arts with the aim of treating and preventing chronic diseases. Currently, about 800 doctors have graduated from the program with kitchen chef training and are now practicing. From orthopedists to anesthesiologists to family doctors, doctors understand this food He is Medicine needs to discuss it with their patients.
“The transformation in medical education is happening so quickly, which is really encouraging, hopeful and supportive,” Meeker-Clark added.
The program has expanded to Chicago public schools, where middle school students are taught nutrition education that enables them to make their own food choices.
However, Maker encouraged Clark to move from thinking of nutrition education as the answer to the next level of outreach. “I still can’t prescribe food to my patients. It’s not part of my electronic medical record system. I have no easy way to get the foods we discussed in the clinic to their doorstep and table.”
Instead, the focus should be on equity and accessibility, such as food banks and community resources, to help patients find the resources they need. WIC and SNAP should also be maintained and expanded rather than reduced.
Insurance and government
There has been a rise in interest from insurance companies and government programs about food as medicine. As Pillai explains, food as medicine is a practical way to transform health outcomes and reduce avoidable health care costs. Only interest from the government continued.
There is bipartisan interest at the federal and state levels as people look for solutions to treat chronic conditions earlier and at lower costs. Pillai expressed optimism that there is a sense of consensus around nutrition as a key driver of health at all levels.
“We have seen 15 states introduce food as medicine legislation in the 2026 legislative session. As many as 10 states are using legal services in managed care to incorporate food as medicine as a benefit,” she reported.
From an insurance perspective, food-as-medicine programs can improve health outcomes but must be structured in a measurable and standardized way before they can be covered as health care benefits. Food-based interventions work best when linked to a health goal, such as supporting high-risk pregnancies, managing chronic conditions, or reducing hospital readmissions. Food as medicine programs are also most effective when they are integrated directly into existing health care processes, such as discharge planning or chronic care management.
Pillay also states that more research is needed to show which populations will benefit most from food as drug interventions, as well as how long these interventions should last and at what level they are most effective. While the evidence is moving in a positive direction, insurers and government partners still need detailed data on financial and health outcomes to justify expanding coverage of these programs more broadly.
High demand from consumers
According to Thorne, “one of the major trends is this movement toward nutrition consumers.”
People have been “very clear” that they want high-quality, nutrient-dense foods and fewer ultra-processed features, such as high sodium and sugar. This is happening not only in North America, but also in the UK and Europe, where brands are embracing nutrient density and launching products designed to meet nutritional needs.
GLP-1s also play a big role in nutritional awareness, Thorne noted. Often times, a diet or nutrition strategy works in conjunction with weight loss medications, allowing these medications to act as a catalyst for many patients to begin their nutrition journey.
Leach also mentioned the number of patients who take these GLP-1 medications, lose weight, and then regain it faster once they stop taking them, which also underscores the importance of dietary change to ensure that these medications help patients initiate and maintain their diet and nutrition changes.
Addressing food insecurity and sustainable solutions
There is a key question that still needs to be addressed: How can we find sustainable solutions to address food insecurity and healthy eating? Even the nation’s largest food assistance program, SNAP, cannot be fully relied upon, because it does not include nutrition as part of its mandate.
Sharma believes there is a need for a human-centred approach and an understanding that there is no “one size fits all” approach when it comes to food as medicine. “Different populations need a different approach,” she said.
Building partnerships between health systems and food as medicine program providers – and then building the capacity to do the work – is what will move things forward. Once these pieces are put together, the next step is to implement them in a patient population. The actuarial value must be addressed.
“Where do we want to end up in terms of access to food as medicine as part of alternative payment models for managed care organizations? What do legislators and policymakers need to do to move the needle forward on policy, whether that’s billing or policy implementation as well?” Sharma asked.
To reach the “promised land,” managed care organizations must be at the table with their actuaries. To identify the right outcomes, more research and action design must be conducted, as well as reflection on implementation and health outcomes. If the implementation is not done as planned, the results will not produce the desired results. Once the results of implementation are known and reinforced, then a discussion can be had about whether there has been an impact or not.
Ensure affordability
As ideas and strategies are developed, Maker-Clark urged the audience to remember affordability. “Most people can’t afford healthy food right now and haven’t been able to for a long time.”
Community partners — including food banks, community gardens, community centers, and faith-based organizations — have worked to ensure people can get nutritious food for the people who need it, but they can’t be the only ones in this role.
“People need a livable wage,” Meeker Clark said. “Food is the backbone of health. Food is how the entire medical system arose and grew.”
Sharma supported this by explaining that employers benefit more if they provide their employees with food security and nutrition, noting that it is a way to show that employees are taken care of, as well as providing an opportunity to save on potential health care costs in the future. She called on employers to invest in these types of efforts to build trust, loyalty and care for their employees.
Leach also agreed, noting how companies that have incorporated food-as-medicine strategies into employee health and well-being programs have seen a decrease in health care costs and an increase in productivity. Furthermore, this may benefit recruitment and retention rates.
“We don’t need to reinvent the wheel; things are happening. We just have to bring it all together and share it,” he said.
