The food as medicine movement will continue — potentially with a new name — as Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s takes the helm at HHS, but stakeholders are split on what his nutrient-based approach to disease prevention will mean for the future.
“When you look at Make America Healthy Again, they are looking at things that are some of the aspects or parts of what we have seen in food as medicine. They just call it something a little bit different. The concept of food as medicine — looking at our health holistically — that is not going anywhere with any change in administration,” said Anna Rosales, senior director of government affairs and nutrition at Institute of Food Technologists (IFT).
RFK Jr.’s MAHA platform receives official White House support
Kennedy was confirmed on Feb. 13 in a 52–48 vote largely down party lines with Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., the lone Republican dissenter. Shortly after Kennedy’s confirmation, he attended the signing of the “Establishing the President’s Make America Healthy Again Commission” executive order.
The White House recapped numerous worsening health statistics from declining US life expectancy and the rise of chronic health conditions. It called for a new commission to explore “fresh thinking on nutrition, physical activity, healthy lifestyles, over-reliance on medication and treatments, the effects of new technological habits, environmental impacts, and food and drug quality and safety,” as shared in the executive order.
The executive order also outlined several policy initiatives, including a call for transparency on federally funded health research, eliminating conflicts of interest and working with farmers to “ensure that United States’ food is the healthiest, most abundant and most affordable in the world,” The White House shared in a statement.
It added, federal agencies should expand treatment options that “support beneficial lifestyle changes and disease prevention” and ensure insurance companies pay for them.
The executive order echoed many of Kennedy’s talking points across two days of Senate confirmation hearings, where he promoted a nutrition-based approach to disease prevention, healthy eating and exercise as well as increased scrutiny of food additives. What Kennedy shared during those hearings paralleled many aspects of the food as medicine movement.
Can food as medicine and MAHA co-exist?
Food as medicine is defined “a set of food-based nutrition programs and interventions integrated into the health care system to advance specific health needs and health equity in different populations,” according to Tuft University’s website.
Under the Biden administration, the food as medicine movement received more government attention, most notably with the White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition and Health on Sept. 28, 2022. Stakeholders at the event discussed an integrated approach to nutrition and health while promoting food access and affordability.
Food as medicine and MAHA tap into the same demands from regulators and consumers, including taking a holistic approach to health and nutrition, Rosales explained. These holistic system approaches to health and nutrition likely will continue regardless of what it is called, she added.
Well-funded research and studies ‘appear in jeopardy at the present moment’
Whatever the systemwide approach is called, regulators and consumers must understand the role and limitations of food and medicine, explained Rachel Cheatham, Founder and CEO of Foodscape Group and adjunct assistant professor at Tufts University.
Debates on whether to call the movement “Food is Medicine” or “Food as Medicine” continue today, but Cheatham advocates for a third naming convention.
“The food is medicine movement should be reframed as ‘food as preventative medicine.’ Medicine is medicine. Food is food. When viewed as prevention, the Food is Medicine movement has a lot of legs to stand on because we have so many diet-related chronic diseases in the majority of adults and increasingly developing in children, too. Starting prevention strategies through dietary intake in children is critical,” Cheatham elaborated.
As RFK Jr. assumes his role at HHS, Cheatham fears “food is medicine will be pitted against pharma.” Focusing on a nutrition- and health-based approach to disease prevention makes sense for those who are not sick, but this does not improve the lives of those who are currently sick, she emphasized.
“We continue to need biomedical research that is well-funded. Medicine in the form of medication is and will be necessary. If your loved one gets diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer, you do not want to hear about eating more vegetables,” she added.
Trump 2.0’s impact on the food and beverage industry
The Trump administration approach to tariffs, food policies and communications are leaving their impact on the food and beverage industry. For a recap of ourcoverage of the first month of the Trump administration, revisit these articles:
- How will RFK Jr.‘s confirmation to lead HHS shape food and agriculture policy?
- RFK Jr. calls out food industry as ‘primary culprit’ in worsening health epidemic
- RFK Jr. takes aim at GRAS & GLP-1s for children in 2nd Senate hearing
- Brooke Rollins' confirmation to lead USDA comes at ‘critical time’ for food policy
- Is Brooke Rollins a ‘no brainer’ for USDA secretary?
- What does FDA’s freeze mean for the food industry?
- How global trade tensions will impact the food & beverage industry
Cheatham called out the Trump administration’s funding and FDA’s communications freeze. A federal judge ordered the Trump administration to lift the funding freeze and set Feb. 19 as the compliance date, AP reported.
“Kennedy’s goal to improve public health by ensuring a safe and nutritious food supply is spot on. However, whether or not he will use his power to ensure nutrition, health and diet researchers are well supported to conduct important studies unimpeded remains to be seen. We all need to keep our eyes on funding for clinical trials, peer-reviewed science and transparent communications. All appear in jeopardy at the present moment,” Cheatham elaborated.
Consumer trends bode well for MAHA and food as medicine
The underlying trends that represent MAHA and food as medicine — of limiting consumption of ultra-processed foods (UPFs) and eating more clean-label products — are resonating with more consumers, noted Sherry Frey, VP of total wellness at NielsenIQ. UPFs units dipped 1% for year ending Nov. 30 and 2.4% for the last four years, according to NIQ data.
“The focus on chronic disease prevention and treatment through food and nutrition is an important aspect for any current effort. We are at a time where more people are interested and paying attention to public health and nutrition than ever. We see increasing consumer interest in clean label — in food and beyond — as well as an increasing interest in reducing ultra-processed foods,” Frey elaborated.
She added, “The challenge for the food industry moving forward will be balancing consumer demand against increasing food costs, food safety and access and ultimately the need to make science-based decisions.”