White House conference to end hunger highlights AHA’s collaborative Food Is Medicine Research Initiative

Ending hunger, improving nutrition and physical activity and reducing diet-related diseases and disparities were major topics among federal lawmakers, state leaders, local advocates and stakeholders during the White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health this week.?

Pictured right: I enjoyed visiting with Senator Debbie Stabenow, Senate Agriculture Committee Chairwoman, during the event.

During the opening plenary session that I was attending, President Biden highlighted a newly announced partnership with the American Heart Association and The Rockefeller Foundation, along with inaugural partner Kroger, where we plan to mobilize $250 million to build a national Food is Medicine Research Initiative. ?

Launching next spring, this research initiative will generate the tools and definitive evidence necessary to help the health sector design and scale "food is medicine" programs to improve both health and health equity and reduce overall health care costs.??

Alongside patients and leaders in government, academia, health care, industry and community-based organizations, this initiative will accelerate public understanding and use of "food is medicine" programs as an integral part of the health care system.??

Pictured above:?Joining me at the conference were American Heart Association’s You’re the Cure advocates, Bella Crowe from Benton, Arkansas and Andre Scott, Jr. from Houston, Texas?with Laurie Whitsel, AHA Vice President of Policy Research.

Fifteen-year-old Bella is passionate about improving the health of her peers.?She brought her voice to Washington to inspire teenagers across the country to make healthy food choices that will carry throughout their lives.??

As an AHA advocate, Andre, 16, has supported policy changes to expand active transportation, end youth tobacco use and improve cardiac rehabilitation. He was excited to share his point of view with elected officials in support of his loved ones and community.??

Pictured above: Great to catch up with my dear friend Sam Kass, former White House Chef and Senior Policy Advisor for Nutrition in the Obama Administration, during the conference.

My conversations with Dr. Rajiv Shah, president of The Rockefeller Foundation, Bella, Andre, and so many other partners reinforced the need for immediate action on the national strategy announced in advance of the conference.?

This critical dialogue comes at a time when millions of children are facing a “nutrition cliff,” having lost automatic access to nutritious meals at school this fall. The pandemic has shown us just how much students depend on healthy school meals to improve their diets and academic performance, while decreasing stigma.???

The good news is that Congress doesn’t need to start from scratch on child nutrition. In July, a U.S. House of Representatives committee advanced the Healthy Meals, Healthy Kids Act, to bolster federal child nutrition programs. Lessons learned over the past two and a half years drove real policy solutions to help children thrive.??

The bill is now awaiting action in the U.S. Senate.???

Lend your voice and let your Senators know: the time is now to ensure every child can get healthy school meals at no cost.?