Brighter Bites, a national nonprofit that delivers fresh fruits and vegetables directly to families, has launched a webpage dedicated to its Food is Medicine initiative in partnership with UTHealth Houston.
The page highlights the nonprofit’s work over the past several years, showcasing the connection between healthy food and improved health outcomes, according to a news release.
The Food is Medicine initiative emphasizes the role of nutrition in managing chronic diseases, preventing illness and improving overall well-being. Key features of the new webpage include visuals, personal testimonials, publications and research, and highlights that detail the program’s success and impact, the release said.
“Our goal is to provide all children and their families with a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables while teaching them how to use it to reduce risk of diet-related chronic disease later in life. As part of our Food Is Medicine efforts, we will integrate provisions of fresh produce and nutrition education in the health care system so healthy food can be part of preventing or managing disease and promoting well-being,” said Shreela Sharma, Brighter Bites co-founder and a professor and vice-chair of the Department of Epidemiology at UTHealth Houston School of Public Health.
The Food is Medicine page highlights how Brighter Bites’ work in providing participants with fresh food and nutrition education ultimately supports the management of chronic conditions such as diabetes, hypertension and obesity. By addressing both the root causes of these conditions and the social determinants of health, the initiative has led to measurable improvements in health outcomes for countless individuals in the communities served, the release said.
“We are proud to share our Food is Medicine initiative with our supporters and the broader community,” said Brighter Bites CEO Rich Dachman. “This initiative is at the heart of our mission to build healthier futures for families across the country. For the past several years, we’ve seen firsthand how access to fresh, nutritious food along with nutrition education can make a meaningful difference in the lives of individuals and lead to better health outcomes.”
