A new approach to guide research and policy at the intersection of income, food, nutrition, and health

Income distribution, food and nutrition insecurity, and poor diet quality contribute to diet-related disease, which is a major threat to population health and health equity. Based on our review and synthesis of the empirical evidence, we provide a new conceptual model for understanding the interrelationships among income, food security, nutrition security, diet quality, and health. We identify directions for future research and discuss the policy and program implications of the model. Overall, interventions that address income and food security can facilitate, but do not ensure, nutrition security and better diet quality, although they can improve health in other ways. Importantly, even people who are food and nutrition secure and have adequate income frequently have unhealthy diets. Addressing these challenges will require innovative policies to improve nutrition security, diet quality, and health. Such policies should include efforts to increase the availability and accessibility of Food Is Medicine interventions in health care. Health insurance coverage for evidence-based, clinically indicated Food Is Medicine programs is critical to the success of these efforts.