A first-of-its-kind, newly established research institute aims to address an apparent gap in the health system by working to integrate food-based nutritional interventions into healthcare to treat diseases and promote health equity.
The Food is Medicine Institute at Tufts University’s Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy, launched today, establishes a university-wide initiative to transform health care through Food-based interventions can expand to include: medically appropriate meals and prescriptions for products; nutrition education for doctors; and clinical care, electronic health records and reimbursement pathways for nutrition-based tools to help treat or prevent diet-related diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, to name a few. Cancer and complications during pregnancy. The Institute will advance Food as Medicine research, patient care, and community and policy engagement nationwide and beyond, and become a leader in training the next generation of professionals. The next entrant in the Food sector is Medicine.
“The Institute builds on Tufts’ rich campus system, our role as a leading research university, and our status as a pioneer,” said Tufts University President Sunil Kumar. in nutrition education and scholarship.” “It also reflects our campus-wide commitment to promoting social justice while addressing difficult global challenges.”
Inadequate diet is responsible for more deaths worldwide than any other risk factor, including smoking. In the US, it is the number one cause of poor health, leading to more than half a million deaths each year and costing more than $1.1 trillion in medical costs and lost productivity. And poor nutrition disproportionately affects low-income people, rural communities, and historically marginalized racial and ethnic groups.
Research has shown that food and nutrition interventions incorporated into a patient’s treatment plan can help improve health outcomes and reduce health care costs.
In addition to bringing together faculty and students from the Friedman School of Medicine and Tufts University of Medicine, in collaboration with the Tufts Medicine health system, the Institute will engage with the public and private sectors.
One of the pillars of this inter-university institute is to develop synergies with other innovators of national and international scope to expand its impact.”
Caroline Genco, Tufts University President and Senior Vice President
Christina Economos, dean of the Friedman School, added: “The Institute is an important next step in advancing the commitment of the Friedman School and Tufts to research, train and deliver degree-based nutrition and food programs. into our health care system.”
Among the organizations the Institute has convened are Kaiser Permanente, John Hancock and Google, each participating in the Food is Medicine effort to prevent and treat health disorders and reduce disparities. health bias.
The Institute is collaborating with Kaiser Permanente on the design, implementation, and evaluation of three clinical trials: a prescription drug intervention for diabetes in southern California, a clinical trial in diabetes sugar is receiving monthly “new funds” to buy healthy foods online; and a trial will be conducted in Georgia involving high-risk pregnancies.
The Institute will work with Google Health’s AI team to create a leading AI-based tool to advance trustworthy nutrition information and reduce nutrition misinformation.
“It’s exciting to see that Food is Medicine interventions can have an immediate impact on health and well-being,” said Institute Director Dariush Mozaffarian, distinguished professor, and dean. You don’t have to wait many years to see the benefits.” honor and Jean Mayer Professor of Nutrition at the Friedman School, which he led for eight years, and is a professor in the School of Medicine.
Mozaffarian also emphasized that Food as Medicine is one of the rare advancements in health care that can also help address health disparities. “As a cardiologist, it’s great to see innovation and equity finally coming together.”
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“Google recognizes that the Food is Medicine movement has important public health implications,” said Nira Goren, head of research. “We’re excited to collaborate with the Food is Medicine Institute to help provide bringing high-quality nutrition information to more people with the goal of improving health outcomes.” on the quality of medical information, Google.
“We are proud of the long-standing and impactful relationship we have built over many years with Tufts, focused on our commitment to Our common goal is to help people live longer, healthier and better lives.” “We are excited to expand our commitment by supporting the Food is Medicine Institute and its mission.”
“The problems of hunger, poor nutrition and diet-related chronic disease are systematically and unfairly at a crisis point. This event is a pivotal opportunity to promote partnership, collaboration and commitment to the Food is Medicine movement as we work toward improving health and nutrition across the United States,” Pamela Schwartz, executive director of Community Health at Kaiser Permanente said.
“The future of healthcare includes embedding targeted nutritional interventions into our care to manage chronic diseases and the health of the diverse populations we serve.” “We are excited to work closely with Tufts University to advance this important and impactful work as we empower people to live their best lives.”
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