Food for Thought: How Pharmacies Can Support Wellness This Holiday Season

‘Tis the season for family, friends, fun, and food. Eating, drinking, and being merry often bring tidings of comfort and joy to those who see the holidays as a time to gather, give thanks, and feast among those they cherish most.

There’s no denying that “count your blessings, not your calories” is an underlying theme during the festive season. But current statistics tell us we should be more mindful of how we prepare our harvests of gratitude.

Data from the Department of Health and Human Services shows 60 percent of the adult population has one or more diet-related chronic diseases. The organization reports that research examining the impact of food groups found almost 20 percent of heart disease, stroke, and diabetes costs are due to poor diet.

On the bright side, there is evidence that a healthy diet provides positive outcomes for all-cause mortality, cardiovascular disease, overweight and obesity, type 2 diabetes, bone health, and certain types of cancer (breast and colorectal). This knowledge drives a growing movement that encourages us to nourish our health by realizing Food is Medicine.

The Food is Medicine Landscape

Research shows that the lack of good nutrition is the primary driver of poor health outcomes in the US. To date, poor diets are the leading cause of death; one in 2 adults has diabetes or prediabetes; 3 in 4 are overweight or obese; and 14 in 15 have suboptimal cardiometabolic health.

Eating habits can also negatively impact our economy.

It’s estimated that healthcare spending and lost productivity from suboptimal diets cost the economy $1.1 trillion annually. Diabetes alone is estimated to cost the US $413 billion each year, including $237 billion in direct healthcare costs and $90 billion in reduced productivity.

The damaging implications for citizens and the economy ultimately inspired the government-backed Food is Medicine crusade.

The Department of Health and Human Services defines Food is Medicine as a broad range of tactics that sustain the goal of reducing disease and promoting optimal health by establishing and supporting healthy eating habits. Their guiding principles call for education, policy change, improved access to nutritious foods, and collaboration between the department, advocates, and healthcare providers to push for better eating habits nationwide.

Pharmacies and the Food Is Medicine Movement

The medication dispensing model that most pharmacies adhere to may make this critical cause seem out of the industry’s wheelhouse. However, pharmacies are uniquely positioned to educate and guide patients on how to improve their health by bettering their eating habits.

JD Power surveys show that 83 percent of pharmacy customers are interested in receiving health and wellness services at their local pharmacies, and more than half of those surveyed found their pharmacist trustworthy. The accessibility of neighborhood pharmacies, coupled with patients’ trust in their pharmacists, puts pharmacy teams in a prime position to provide instruction and insight on how to use food to address chronic conditions.

Pharmacies can also use their documentation to answer the Department of Health and Human Services’ call for collaboration. Utilizing a billing-enabled electronic health record (EHR) with cloud-based interoperability capabilities allows pharmacists to share and receive patient data with other healthcare providers.

Lastly, pharmacies can leverage payor interest in Food is Medicine to help improve community health and their bottom line. Nearly 74% of Medicare Advantage plans offer food-purchasing benefits to people who qualify for Special Supplemental Benefits for the Chronically Ill (SSBCI) or a Special Need Plan (SNP). This could allow pharmacies to submit medical billing claims for food-related educational services that are proven to impact health outcomes.

A Recipe for A Healthy Holiday

The holidays often bring us together to celebrate and share meals, but it also serves as an opportunity to reflect on how food shapes our health and well-being. Pharmacies, trusted by their communities and positioned at the intersection of healthcare and daily life, have a pivotal role to play in advancing the Food is Medicine movement.

Pharmacies can support healthier eating habits and contribute to better health outcomes by providing education and leveraging health data to establish better eating habits. This festive season, let’s embrace the spirit of giving by sharing meals and empowering healthier, more nourishing choices for ourselves and our communities.

Together, we can make wellness a part of every tradition.

Interested in learning more about the role that pharmacies have in the Food is Medicine movement? Read our blog post, “So, Food is Medicine, What Does that Mean for Pharmacy?”