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Food & Nutrition
HHS Hosts 2024 Food is Medicine Summit
This week, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) convened the first-ever HHS Food is Medicine Summit to address the importance of food is medicine initiatives for improving public health in the United States. The summit highlighted new and existing governmental, industry, and community actions to advance food is medicine efforts and discussed future considerations in this space. During the summit, several federal agencies, including FDA, USDA, NIH, and CDC, shared their ongoing food is medicine-centered efforts to improve health equity, increase food accessibility, and reduce food insecurity across nutrition assistance programs and in local communities. Three new public-private partnerships were announced at the meeting, including initiatives with the Rockefeller Foundation, Instacart, and Feeding America. The highlight of the day was the unveiling of new HHS Food is Medicine Framing Language and Principles to guide federal agencies and public-private partnerships in their advancement of food is medicine efforts.
USDA Announces Increased Summer EBT Benefits to Support Summer Meals
USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) announced the agency will provide a higher summer nutrition program benefit to Hawaii, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, U.S. Virgin Islands, and Guam and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands families through the agency’s permanent Summer Electronic Benefit Transfer (Summer EBT) program. These states, territories, and tribes will receive $177 per eligible child in Summer EBT benefits to buy food at grocery stores, farmers markets, or other authorized retailers for the summer, compared to the U.S. mainland’s benefit of $120. This benefit increase follows USDA’s announcement that 35 states, all five U.S. territories, and four tribal nations notified the agency of their commitment to launch the Summer EBT program in 2024. The Summer EBT program advances the goals of the Biden Administration’s 2022 White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health to enhance food and nutrition security and improve food access and affordability.
Senate Introduces Bill to Prohibit Cell-Cultivated Meat in School Meals
Senators Mike Rounds (R-SD) and Jon Tester (D-MT) introduced the School Lunch Integrity Act of 2024, which would prohibit the use of cell-cultivated meat under the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) and the School Breakfast Program (SBP). In the bill's press release, Senators emphasized concerns regarding insufficient research on cell-cultivated protein and its safety implications, highlighting that these products create ‘unnecessary’ risks for children, while traditional beef products provide essential nutrients and health benefits to children. Currently, USDA has not issued guidance on cell-cultivated protein in the NSLP and the SPB. The bill is endorsed by the U.S. Cattlemen’s Association, National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, and South Dakota Pork Producers.
Senate Introduces Fair and Accurate Ingredient Representation on Labels Act
Senator Roger Marshall (R- MD) and Representative Mark Alford (R-MO) introduced the Fair and Accurate Ingredient Representation on Labels Act of 2024. The FAIR Labels Act would establish USDA authority to require labeling of imitation and cell-cultured meat and poultry products to include either the word ‘imitation’ or another word that conveys the food is derived from sources other than meat, as well as include a disclaimer that indicates the product does not contain meat or poultry. The bill would also require that the label include the words ‘cell-cultured’ or ‘lab-grown’ on cell-cultured meat and poultry products. This legislation would maintain the shared regulation of lab-grown meat and poultry between the FDA and USDA while ensuring the USDA's authority to label these products.
IFIC Publishes Consumer Research on Processed Foods
The International Food Information Council (IFIC) published new consumer research, Public Perceptions of Processed Foods, measuring consumers’ knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs about processed foods. The research survey revealed several findings regarding consumer’s perceptions of processed foods, including that most consumers believe some processed foods can fit into a healthy diet and that most consumers acknowledge that they do not fully understand or cannot fully explain what a processed food is. These findings suggest the need for future research to better understand the role of processed foods in healthy dietary patterns. IFIC also highlights the recent interest in processed foods from a range of sectors, including the 2025 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee who are currently examining dietary patterns varying in ultra-processed food on various health outcomes.
Study Suggests Diets Rich in Plant Protein Improves Healthy Aging in Women
A study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition examined the long-term role of dietary protein intake and the likelihood of healthy aging, including the absence of chronic diseases, good mental health, and no impairment in either cognitive or physical function. The study, led by researchers at Tufts University, found that women who consume higher amounts of protein, especially protein from plant-based sources, develop fewer chronic diseases and are more likely to be healthier overall as they age. Researchers also found that participants who consumed more plant-based protein, including protein obtained from bread, vegetables, fruits, pizza, cereal, baked items, mashed potatoes, nuts, beans, peanut butter, and pasta, were 46% more likely to be healthy in later years, whereas participants who consumed more animal protein such as beef, chicken, milk, fish/seafood, and cheese, were 6% less likely to stay healthy as they age.
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