Connecting Health and Food Access
Health is important for everyone, no matter their age. When someone doesn't have enough food or can only afford less nutritious food options because of barriers like high food costs, it can seriously impact their health.
Our health and nutrition programs go beyond just providing meals. We focus on how food access can improve overall health and well-being. We work with food banks and partners nationwide to address food insecurity, nutrition and health.
Access to Healthy Foods
Nutrition Education
Health Partnerships
Why Health and Nutrition Matter
Food insecurity, nutrition and health are closely connected. People facing hunger may have few pathways to nutritious food, especially due to high living costs. A lack of healthy food can increase the risk of health issues like diabetes and hypertension. Food insecurity makes managing a chronic disease even harder.
At Feeding America, we actively address these challenges.
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Food As MedicineFood banks work with health care partners to identify patients experiencing food insecurity during their visits. This approach—funded in part by Elevance Health Foundation—helps neighbors facing hunger access healthy food prescriptions to manage chronic health conditions and improve overall well-being.
Blood sugar, weight and cholesterol levels all improved meaningfully among participants with both baseline and follow up data, with greater gains for those who attended more dietitian sessions.
¹ For participant perspectives, program design insights, and national evaluation findings, see the Food as Medicine 3.0 Cumulative Report (Feeding America, 2025).
This initiative was made possible by the generous support of Elevance Health Foundation.
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Health for All
Food insecurity is tied to health and economic well-being. Feeding America supports food banks with educational programs and grants to ensure everyone has access to nutritious food and good health.
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Nutrition
Creating healthy communities requires providing access to culturally relevant, nutritious food. Food banks support our neighbors in sourcing food that reflects their food traditions and lifestyles while strengthening health and nutrition.
Food as Medicine 3.0
For millions of people facing hunger, managing a chronic health condition without access to nutritious food is an everyday reality. People experiencing food insecurity face higher rates of diet-related illness, including diabetes, heart disease and hypertension, along with higher health care costs.
Feeding America’s Food as Medicine 3.0 (FAM3)—a national initiative funded by Elevance Health Foundation and evaluated by the Center for Nutrition & Health Impact demonstrates that consistent access to nutritious food through food bank-health care partnerships improves nutrition and health-related outcomes.
161,000+
Households connected to FAM3 programs across 13 states.
161,000+
Households connected to FAM3 programs across 13 states
21 food banks
Working with 50+ health care sites in a community-rooted, replicable model
5,600+
Surveys and interviews show dignity, choice and flexibility deepen engagement
14%
Reduction in self-reported hospitalizations among FAM3 participants
“The food options are great and I discovered parsnips and beets. My A1C is lower, and I have more energy. My endocrinologist and dietitian are very happy with my progress since being a part of the program.”
Neighbor, New York - FAM3 Participant
¹ For participant perspectives, program design insights, and national evaluation findings, see the Food as Medicine 3.0 Cumulative Report (Feeding America, 2025).
This initiative was made possible by the generous support of Elevance Health Foundation.
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