Public Policy Associates (PPA) is proud to sponsor the Michigan Food as Medicine Summit, which will be held in East Lansing on October 7-8, 2025. This critical event brings together policymakers, health care providers, researchers, and community leaders to advance the integration of nutrition into the state’s health systems. PPA’s sponsorship underscores our commitment to research and policy that support evidence-based community health strategies and address issues of health equity through innovative solutions.
Our involvement extends beyond sponsorship, featuring contributions from two key PPA experts: Dr. Nancy McCrohan, now an affiliated consultant, will deliver a presentation on the crucial role of policy and evaluation in scaling nutrition interventions, and Anna Fischer, PPA’s director for healthy communities, will lend her expertise to a high-level panel discussion.
Understanding Food as Medicine
The concept of Food as Medicine is a powerful and rapidly growing movement that seeks to systematically integrate nutrition and dietetics into health care delivery. It is founded on the principle that food is not merely sustenance, but a therapeutic tool capable of preventing, managing, and even reversing chronic diseases.
This approach goes beyond general dietary advice. It includes targeted, evidence-based interventions, such as Medically Tailored Meals, which are prepared and delivered meals designed for individuals with complex, diet-related chronic conditions, including diabetes, heart disease, or renal failure. It also encompasses Produce Prescription Programs, which provide patients with vouchers or stipends to purchase fruits and vegetables, connecting them with local food systems and addressing food insecurity.
By formalizing these nutrition interventions and integrating them into the clinical setting, the Food as Medicine model aims to improve health outcomes, reduce health care costs, and promote greater health equity by ensuring vulnerable populations have access to the nourishment they need to thrive.
For more information on our work in this space, please feel free to reach out to Anna Fischer, PPA’s director for healthy communities, at afischer@publicpolicy.com.