Congratulations to the American Heart Association’s Health Care by Food Initiative, the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Mass General Brigham, and their Navajo Nation partners on the landmark publication of MUTTON-HF in The Journal of The American Medical Association Internal Medicine. The clear results of this rigorous study confirm the extraordinary health benefits of Food is Medicine (FIM). Backed by courageous scientific inquiry, robust evidence like that published today, and a diverse group of supporters, FIM is gaining momentum as the best way to promote the well-being of 129 million Americans living with chronic illnesses.
This breakthrough study, conducted among patients with heart failure in rural Navajo Nation, found that medically tailored meals built on traditional Navajo foods cut hospitalizations by more than 50%, with heart failure-specific hospitalizations falling even further, by 71%. The data makes it clear: Food is Medicine delivers real results to Americans. At a time when poor diets contribute to more than 500,000 deaths in the U.S. annually, FIM is improving lives, saving Americans money, and keeping them out of the hospital. Medically tailored meals alone are projected to save $23.7 billion annually — in one pilot, patients saved up to $12,000 on healthcare spending. These are a few of the many reasons why nearly eighty percent of Americans across party lines and demographics believe FIM should be covered by public and private insurance.
The Rockefeller Foundation is betting big on FIM, having pledged more than $100 million starting in 2019 to help reimagine a healthcare system that is more accessible, affordable, and effective for all. We’re proud to support the American Heart Association’s Health Care by Food Initiative and the scientists that are strengthening the research on FIM. We look forward to additional demonstrations of FIM’s efficacy and to continuing our work together towards a future where all Americans have access to healthy and nourishing food.
