AMA Journal of Ethics^®

Dr Susan Veldheer joins Ethics Talk to discuss her article, coauthored with Dr Daniel R. George: "Strategies to Help Health Care Organizations Execute Their Food System Leadership Responsibilities.”

Since health organizations offer food, they are situated at key intersections of agricultural policies and practices and public health.

Helping patients mitigate their risk of chronic disease is key, but dietary supplements are risky.

Physicians can improve diets of patients who live in food deserts by providing nutrition materials, training in food preparation, and promoting nutritious food availability in communities where they practice.

When patients look for strategies to improve their overall health, diet and nutrition are often a logical place to start—after all, what we consume has enormous impact on our susceptibility to disease and disability. But health care professionals don’t always have the time or expertise to address nutrition effectively in a clinical encounter, and might not know how to respond to broader issues around food availability in their community. This month on Ethics Talk, we talk about why clinicians should care about food ethics and what they can do to address nutrition in clinical and community settings. Our guests were Dr. Jessica Fanzo, Dr. David Katz, and Haley Swartz.

Sociocultural and economic factors drive transition from plant-based to animal-based protein sources in rapidly developing and urbanizing countries of South Asia and Southeast Asia. Better understanding the health impact of this transition requires integrating epidemiological and social science research methods.

Millennium Development Goals on nutrition and health seek to end hunger and significantly reduce malnutrition and premature death by 2025. Health systems and health professionals have important roles in meeting these goals.

Produce prescription programs can expand patient's food choices and provide financial incentives to change consumption behaviors. If these programs are not linked to established government assistance programs, however, growers could be at risks for bearing the cost.

Focusing on social processes contributing to marginalization can help clinicians and policy makers mitigate food insecurity risk through improved patient-centered care.