what you eat has a profound effect on your health.
In fact, food is one of the most impactful factors in a person’s overall health and wellness. That's why the research consistently shows that dietary habits not only influence disease risk but also have the ability to offer strong protective qualities against acute and chronic conditions. For example:
A study by Tufts University found that a 30% Medicare and Medicaid subsidy for fresh vegetables and fruit could prevent 300,000+ premature deaths from cardiovascular events.
A study in the Journal of the American Medical Association concluded that offering nationwide medically tailored meal benefits to individuals with diabetes, heart disease, or cancer could save more than $180 billion in medical costs.
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina published data in the New England Journal of Medicine that found members with Type 2 diabetes in Affordable Care Act plans could save $139 in total medical costs per member per month if they were enrolled in a food as medicine delivery program.
Of course, knowing this information doesn’t always translate into eating foods that are best for you. Schedules get busy. Stress happens. And it’s not always clear what’s good for you and what’s not.
let's make the healthy choice, the easy choice.
That’s why at the digital food farmacy, we do our best to make the healthy choice, the easy choice for our members. From articles like this to our FoodHealth Score, we are making sure that members understand how food works and which foods work for them. To find out other ways we’re making food as medicine super accessible, visit the digital food farmacy today.
Sources
“Cost-Effectiveness of Financial Incentives for Improving Diet and Health Through Medicare and Medicaid: A Microsimulation Study,” PLOS Medicine, Yujin Lee, et al., March 19, 2019.
Statement by Dr. Rajiv J. Shah, President of the Rockefeller Foundation, and Nancy Brown, CEO of the American Heart Association, on New Food Is Medicine Research Initiative,” The Rockefeller Foundation, September 28, 2022.
“Association of National Expansion of Insurance Coverage of Medically Tailored Meals With Estimated Hospitalizations and Health Care Expenditures in the US,” Journal of the American Medical Association, Kurt Hager, et al., October 17, 2022.
“North Carolina Blues Plan Says Food-as-Medicine Program Resulted in Better Outcomes for Diabetes Patients,” Fierce Healthcare, Frank Diamond, March 20, 2023.