Highlights
- UF researchers call for a national “Food is Medicine” strategy to combat obesity, Type 2 diabetes, dementia and related health crises by integrating horticulture, nutrition and medicine.
- Only 1 in 10 U.S. adults meets their daily fruit and vegetable intake, while 80% of cropland nationally is devoted to corn, soy and wheat – highlighting the need for a more balanced agricultural system.
- Experts propose NIH-supported Food is Medicine centers, medical education reform and partnerships with food producers to make healthy food accessible, affordable and appealing to the public.
University of Florida researchers are calling for a national transformation in how we address the ongoing epidemic of obesity and Type 2 diabetes, starting with a fundamental shift in how we approach health, agriculture and food.
Published recently in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the article argues that fruits and vegetables must be treated not just as food — but as medicine.
With 73% of U.S. adults and 35% of children classified as overweight or obese, the authors warn that the crisis is not only an individual health issue but a national economic and security threat.
Andrew Hanson, Ph.D., a co-author and professor of horticultural sciences at UF/IFAS, emphasized a sense of urgency and collective responsibility toward solving this health crisis.
“This isn’t business as usual. We’re taking a public-interest view. This is the kind of thing we all need to be talking about. It’s too important not to,” he said.
The article proposes a roadmap for change, including creating five National Institutes of Health-supported “Food Is Medicine” centers across the U.S., with Florida as a leading candidate; scaling up domestic fruit and vegetable production to meet national dietary needs; partnering with food producer and processors to make healthy foods more accessible, affordable and appealing; and reforming medical and nutrition education to include horticultural sciences and vice versa.
The article highlights that only 1 in 10 adults meets the recommended daily intake of fruits and vegetables, and that U.S. production falls far short of what’s needed to support a healthy population. The authors call for a dramatic expansion of fruit and vegetable production, especially high-impact crops like berries, leafy greens and carrots.
Christopher Gunter, Ph.D., professor and chair of the UF/IFAS Department of Horticultural Sciences, said the team’s goal is to push the role fruit and vegetables crops can play in improving human health into the national consciousness.
“As a discipline, horticulture and the science of fruit and vegetables have been largely ignored in this conversation,” Gunter said. “Our goal is to move the needle on health with fruit and vegetables.”
Hanson said about 80% of the nation’s cropland is used to grow soybeans, corn and wheat — most of which are processed into products with low nutritional value that contribute to the obesity and Type 2 diabetes epidemic.
Mike Jaffee, M.D., a co-author and professor of neurology in the UF College of Medicine, stressed the broader implications of a high-vegetable diet on brain health.
“Obesity and insulin resistance are linked to inflammation and neurodegeneration. We’re living longer, but our brains aren’t keeping up. That’s where the real cost to individuals and the health care system comes in,” he said.
Gunter agreed, adding, “This epidemic reduces the longevity and productivity of our citizens. It limits the momentum communities need to grow healthy and resilient families.”
Hanson pointed out that higher socioeconomic groups are better positioned to meet dietary recommendations, making this not just a health issue, but a deeply embedded social and economic one.
“This crisis takes an unduly large toll on people with lower incomes and less time. To eat enough fruits and vegetables in the current system, you need substantial income and time to prepare food. That’s a luxury many don’t have,” he said.
The authors argue that farmers bring essential knowledge to the table.
“They understand how environmental factors impact nutritional quality,” Gunter said.
The post Florida scientists champion ‘Food Is Medicine’ movement to tackle national health crisis first appeared in the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences News Blog.
About UF/IFAS
The mission of the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) is to develop knowledge relevant to agricultural, human and natural resources and to make that knowledge available to sustain and enhance the quality of human life. With more than a dozen research facilities, 67 county Extension offices, and award-winning students and faculty in the UF College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, UF/IFAS brings science-based solutions to the state’s agricultural and natural resources industries, and all Florida residents.
