Tag: Produce prescription

Launched in Durham in 2017, the Eatwell program in NC was initially a pilot initiative by the non-profit Reinvestment Partners to address food insecurity. It has since expanded statewide through various partnerships to help patients with diet-related health conditions access fresh produce.

According to the USDA, nearly 15% of U.S. households with children experienced food insecurity in 2020. A produce prescription program is an innovative public health intervention where healthcare providers prescribe fresh fruits and vegetables to patients with food insecurity or diet-related health conditions, like diabetes or hypertension. This initiative treats food as a form of medicine to improve patient health outcomes and overall well-being.

According to a multisite evaluation, produce prescription programs improved fruit and vegetable intake, food security, and health status among participants with diet-related health risks. These interventions, which provide financial incentives for healthy eating, are demonstrating powerful benefits for health and communities.

In the United States, over 34 million people live in food-insecure households, facing substantial barriers to maintaining a healthy diet. A **what is a nutrition incentive program?** is a community-based strategy designed to make nutritious foods, like fruits and vegetables, more accessible and affordable for low-income individuals, thereby improving overall nutrition.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, poor diet is the leading cause of death in the U.S., contributing to millions of deaths from heart disease, cancer, and diabetes. Given this, the answer to **can a doctor write you a prescription for food?** is a definitive yes, as an increasing number of healthcare providers are doing so through formalized programs.