A new, comprehensive study of food prescriptions suggests that prescribed healthy foods are more effective than pharmaceuticalsagainst chronic illnessescould be. Researchers reviewed 13 prescription nutrition programs that either subsidized healthy foods like fruits and vegetables or provided them directly as medical treatment. They found that people ate more of these foods and also saw improvements in weight and blood sugar.
Prevent disease through healthy foods instead of pills
The study authors believe that food prescriptions could be of great benefit as a preventive measure. This is especially true for people with limited access to such foods, as well as those with certain medical conditions. They found that the effects of nutritional therapies on blood sugar are comparable to those experienced by peoplesome commonly prescribed blood sugar lowering drugswould expect. This adds to the growing suspicion that food could also act as medicine. According to the authors, food insecurity, defined as a lack of access to nutritionally adequate food, leads to a higher risk of cardiometabolic diseases. About half of the people recruited into the programs analyzed in the review experienced food insecurity. Three quarters had specific existing medical conditions such as overweight or obesity, high blood pressure or type 2 diabetes.
The focus of most healthy food recipes has been on fruits and vegetables. However, other foods, including nuts, beans, whole grains and fish, are also important for heart health. Overall, these results provide encouraging evidence that healthy food prescription programs can lead to improvements in diet quality and health measures. People experiencing food insecurity are less able to manage chronic illnesses due to psychological and financial stress, such as high out-of-pocket drug costs and other health expenses.This studyshows that increasing the intake of healthier foods has great potential to improve the health of more vulnerable people. The researchers' analysis strongly supports the need for better designed and properly controlled clinical trials. This allows them to test the real health effects of food prescription programs.
