Physicians can prescribe coupons that are redeemable for free or reduced fresh produce either directly in their clinic or through partnerships with retailers or farmers markets.
As physicians we promote eating unprocessed, fresh fruits and vegetables, we need to work with the food industry to ensure that minimally processed products are safe for consumers.
We are beginning to understand that certain highly processed foods can lead to disease, but what is the best method of confronting these foods in our hospitals?
In February 2016, a study published in Pediatrics noted a beneficial effect of dietary fiber on reducing the risk of breast cancer, particularly if fiber intake was high during the adolescent period. While this study might not have told us exactly how much fiber we should consume to reduce disease risk, it highlighted an important time period in life we can focus our efforts as future clinicians on in reducing the disease burden in our country.
