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Unlocking Opportunities: Dietitians Leading the Food Is Medicine Movement Across Practice Settings

Sunday, October 6, 2024

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L100 ABCHIJ

Level: Level 1 (basic knowledge/experience)

Tracks: Food Security and Access, Public Health

CPE: 1.5

Description

According to the National Institutes of Health, Food is Medicine refers to five interventions services aimed at preventing and addressing diet-related diseases: 1) medically tailored meals 2) medically tailored and healthy food packages and groceries 3) nutritious food referrals or vouchers 4) prescriptions for nutritious groceries or produce prescriptions and 5) culinary medicine and teaching kitchen programs (National Institutes of Health, 2023). Within the last five years, momentum in support of Food Is Medicine, and evidence demonstrating improved patient health outcomes from these approaches, has galvanized the field from an emerging approach to a national priority, relevant across care settings, disciplines, and levels of decision making (Bipartisan Policy Center, 2023). As food and nutrition experts, dietitians have unprecedented opportunities to lead and collaborate in Food Is Medicine interventions (Thomas et al., 2023). This is a key moment to catalyze the breadth and depth of dietetic practice in medical nutrition therapy, and position dietitians at the forefront of policy and interprofessional initiatives. This session will review the evidence and national context informing the current Food Is Medicine opportunities for dietitians; and present decision-maker and leader-level strategies which successfully equipped dietitians to embrace this work in clinical, academic, government, and corporate settings.

Learning Objectives

  • Identify evidence-based benefits of Food Is Medicine and applications for Food Is Medicine interventions across dietetic practice settings.
  • Describe examples of dietitians leading Food Is Medicine initiatives across practice settings, characterizing distinct professional qualifications that position them to leverage these leadership roles.
  • Recognize opportunities for dietitians to apply their unique training, scope, and expertise to the interprofessional field of Food Is Medicine and leverage policy momentum.

Performance Indicators

  • 3.3.3 Advocates for access to health and nutrition services.
  • 3.1.3 Takes initiative to facilitate change.
  • 3.2.8 Challenges, encourages and supports others to take action to advance the profession.

Speakers

  • Jaclyn Albin photo

    Jaclyn Albin

    Associate Professor; Director & Certified Culinary Medicine Specialist, Culinary Medicine Program, UT Southwestern Medical Center

    Dr. Jaclyn Albin is an Associate Professor of Internal Medicine and Pediatrics and founding Director of the Culinary Medicine program at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center and the Medical Director of Food is Medicine Innovation at Parkland Health. Dr. Albin is board certified in pediatrics, internal medicine, and lifestyle medicine and is a certified culinary medicine specialist (CCMS). She serves on the national advisory board for the American College of Culinary Medicine and is an Innovator Member in Harvard’s Teaching Kitchen Collaborative. Through partnership with colleagues in the O’Donnell School of Public Health, she builds creative collaborations between health systems and community organizations to advance sustainable strategies promoting food security and health equity. Dr. Albin is a sought-after speaker, media source, and scientific voice in Culinary Medicine, Lifestyle Medicine, and food is medicine spaces. She is passionate about disruptive innovation within healthcare to promote multisector collaboration and drive positive change at a population health level.
  • Hope Barkoukis photo

    Hope Barkoukis

    Chair, Department of Nutrition, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University

    At Case Western Reserve University, Dr. Barkoukis is the Chair, Department of Nutrition, School of Medicine; an Associate Professor, Department of Nutrition, School of Medicine; holds the Jack, Joseph, Morton Mandel Professorship in Wellness & Preventive Care, School of Medicine; and is Faculty Lead, Mandel Wellness Pathway, School of Medicine. She is the curriculum creator/ co-faculty lead for the Wellness & Preventive Care Pathway for medical students. The Pathway introduces medical students to stress reduction techniques, social well-being habits, nutrition, lifestyle and culinary medicine. In 2018 the Pathway received national recognition and an award for Innovation in Teaching future health care professionals from the Alliance for a Healthier Generation. Teaching awards include the 2019 Outstanding Dietetic Educator from Nutrition Dietetics Education Professionals and the Ohio Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, Top Prof, and the John S. Diekhoff Graduate Award for teaching excellence from CWRU. Advanced training includes Culinary Coaching from Harvard University and the Institute for Lifestyle Medicine and in culinary arts. Research experience includes several funded NIH research interventions, ranging from the design of nutrition, food and culinary intervention studies; nutrition counseling of culturally diverse populations; competency in body composition techniques, nutritional status and dietary assessments, and metabolic research.
  • Anne Utech photo

    Anne Utech

    National Executive Director (SES EQ), Nutrition and Food Services; Manager, Nutrition Field Advisory, Department of Veterans Affairs, Veterans Health Administration Central Office

    Dr. Anne Utech has been with the US Dept of Veterans Affairs (VA) for 20 years; in Houston as a dietetic intern, clinician, primary care coordinator, health promotion & disease prevention program manager, and in the VA Central Office since 2013 as the Deputy National Director for VA's Nutrition and Food Services (NFS). She also served as Acting Chief Officer for Specialty Care Services from 2019 to 2020. She is currently the National Executive Director of Nutrition and Food Services in VA. She manages the Nutrition Field Advisory Board of field-based dietitians and nutrition professionals, spanning 6 Committees of professional oversight, that provide nutrition and food services to Veterans enrolled in the Veterans Health Administration, serving >30M meals/year and providing all clinical nutrition care with approximately 10,000 federal nutrition staff. NFS governance is grounded in the VA Nutrition field advisory board, and ensures that programs, policies and solutions and born and raised where they should be – in the field and closest to the Veteran and staff. Dr. Utech’s primary professional interests are data & research, sustainability & green environmental management systems, and promoting VA’s integrated healthcare system as the world-class leader in nutrition excellence.

Moderator

  • Deanne Brandstetter photo

    Deanne Brandstetter

    Vice President Nutrition & Wellness, Compass Group

    Deanne Brandstetter, M.B.A., R.D. has over thirty years of experience in the food and nutrition business. As Vice President of Nutrition & Wellness for Compass Group, North America, she leads a team that coordinates wellness programs for foodservice clients and develops innovative & award winning cross sector nutrition & wellness initiatives. She also directed the nutrition program for the 2002 Winter Olympic Games in Salt Lake City, Utah as part of the Compass Olympics Lead Management Team. Deanne’s marketing background and passion for great food has fueled her goal of creatively translating medical and nutrition science into innovative exciting food concepts for Compass Group customers. She earned an American Culinary Federation Silver medal for Healthy Cuisine and has presented at meetings in the US and globally. Deanne has been a leader in many Academy committees, task forces and DPGs was the 2022-23 Academy Treasurer and is the 2024-25 President-Elect. She is co-chair of the CIA Healthy Menus R&D Collaborative, is a WELL Nourishment concept advisor and serves on the Advisory Board to the Dean of the School of Education, Health and Society at Miami University. Deanne was awarded a WELL Community Award in 2021 and the Dietitians in Business & Communications Outstanding Leader in 2022.

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