OPEN FOR REFERRALS--> Healthy Food Prescriptions PROGRAM 202

The Healthy Food Prescriptions Program uses food-as-medicine to treat uncontrolled diabetes in food-insecure households with at least one member who is struggling to manage their disease. The goal is to implement an intervention which can reverse diabetes and empower patients to maximize the health of their family through lifestyle and behavior changes, healthy eating habits, and fresh, medically tailored foods. 

Dr. Mozaffarian, Dean of Tufts University Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy and Living Hungry share the vision of using food-as-medicine to improve patient care for diet related, chronic disease. This program has been built combining best practices of previous food-as-medicine pilots around the U.S., including the pilot operated by Living Hungry last year, to create the best possible intervention for low-income, diabetic patients. Through evaluation of the program with Tufts University, we hope to show this model could be used to advance Food-is-Medicine policies in the U.S. In acknowledging this opportunity, Living Hungry’s Founder, Maura Plante designed the Healthy Food Prescription (HFP) Program protocol by adopting the findings of Dr. Yujin Lee’s microsimulation study using healthy food incentives to evaluate the cost effectiveness of improving diet and health in Medicare and Medicaid.4  The HFP protocol is also informed by the findings of Dr. Dariush Mozaffarian and Dr. Renata Micha’s meta-analysis on the etiologic effects and optimal intakes of foods and nutrients for risk of cardiovascular diseases and diabetes published in April, 2017. 5   We used the results of these studies to help guide the type of foods offered in our program to maximize health outcomes

The Healthy Foods Prescription program is updated in 2021 to be a nutrition & supplements therapy intervention rooted in research. In 2021 we will expand the program to include Thorne HealthTech’s blood, saliva and gut biome lab testing from home along with free vitamins and supplements identified as missing in the client’s panel of results. Another upgrade, The Pelican Club will be the event venue and host for our series of biweekly events for the food insecure clients. The spa-like atmosphere and client service focus will support our clients as they change habits and learn to control their diabetes using food as medicine. 

Sponsors:

The Healthy Foods Prescription program, is a sponsored program of the Health Care District of Palm Beach County for six years running from 2019-2023. Funding allocations include food, events, cooking classes, evaluations, and client biomarker screenings. Tufts University will sponsor and conduct the research evaluation. University of Florida IFAS will sponsor the nutrition education. The Diabetes Coalition PBC sponsors the biomarker screeenings and Thorne HealthTech sponsored weight management lab tests and gut biome tests, and supplements therapy. The Lessings sponsored event venue and staffing with the Pelican Club in Jupiter. 

Community Collaborative: 

Healthy Food Prescription program was run through a community collaborative with 21 partners contributing: Living Hungry, The Health Care District of Palm Beach County, Thorne HealthTech, Pelican Club, Lessings, Tufts University, Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy, Sysco SEFL, UF/IFAS EFNEP Program, NOVA SE University- Public Health Interns, Diabetes Coalition , Diabetes Coalition PBC, Healthier Jupiter, C. L. Brumback Clinic Jupiter, FAU Clinics - Westgate & West Palm Beach, FoundCare, Jupiter Medical Center Inpatient, American Heart Association, PBA Volunteer Nurse Corps, PBSC Hispanic Nurses, FAU, FL Dept of Health Dietetic Interns, and Silver Beach Productions.