Public Perception of Food is Medicine in Healthcare

Americans across the country don’t just want to live longer, they want to live better. But with six in ten Americans managing at least one diet-related disease, the majority face obstacles ― what to eat and affordable healthy foods ― that keep them from living their healthiest lives.

To more deeply understand public perception on food, nutrition, and health in the United States, The Rockefeller Foundation commissioned Hattaway Communications to conduct a nationally representative survey that polled 2,271 respondents across all 50 states between February 28 and March 11, 2025.

What we eat is not just affecting our health, it is contributing to skyrocketing health care costs. In the U.S., the effects of poor diet amount to $1.1 trillion per year in human health-related costs on patients, taxpayers, and insurers.

Food is Medicine (FIM) programs, which offer patients with diet-related diseases options like healthy groceries, medically tailored meals, along with nutrition support, are an innovation in health care, improving health and cutting costs. The survey explored whether patients had heard of FIM ― few had (13%). But when presented with the definition, respondents were highly supportive.