HJAR Jan/Feb 2026

44 JAN / FEB 2026 I  HEALTHCARE JOURNAL OF ARKANSAS RURAL HEALTH COLUMN RURAL HEALTH IF YOU surveyed the average person, they would say it is common sense that a healthy diet is part of a healthy life. But even with primary care physicians recommending lifestyle changes such as reducing intake of foods high in sugar and salt, engaging in exercise, and managing stress, people often find that eating a healthy diet is easier said than done. A relatively new movement seeks to operationalize recommendations on food. The national Food Is Medicine (FIM) initiative focuses on alleviating barriers to access to healthy, nutritious food. How Food Access Shapes Health in the U.S. The United States has a high proportion of its population with chronic disease. According to the Centers for Disease Control FOOD IS MEDICINE: Addressing Chronic Disease Through Nutrition, Policy, and Health System Integration and Prevention, of the 10 leading causes of death, more than half are linked to diet and are considered preventable. 1 Arkansans are unfortunately at the forefront of having preventable chronic illnesses. The leading cause of death in the state is heart disease. 2 The issue of preventable chronic disease is complex — and costly. According to Tufts University’s Food Is Medicine program, around $1.1 trillion is spent annually on the management of diet-related disease. 3 In Arkansas, factors such as poverty and limited access to healthcare and healthy foods contribute to the state’s consistently high rankings in adverse health outcomes. 4 Most people want to eat nutritiously, but to live a healthy lifestyle can be quite challenging for some because they face factors beyond their control that shape how they navigate their everyday lives. These factors, known as social determinants of health (SDOH) —which include safe housing and job opportunities, access to nutritious food, and opportunities for physical activity — sometimes erect barriers in people’s lives, leaving them little room tomake the choices they’d prefer, including how and what they eat. For these people, getting nutritious food is a luxury that is out of reach. And without proper nutrition, people are more likely to have less energy, focus, and fuel to reach their full potential. Nutrition, then, becomes medicine. Defining Food Is Medicine “Let thy food be thy medicine and medi- cine be thy food.” — Hippocrates The Food Is Medicine (FIM) initiative is a