Survey reveals strong public support for banning fast food in hospitals

Most participants in a new US poll believe fast food items, including cheeseburgers, fried chicken, and pizza, should be discontinued from sale in hospitals. The sentiment resonates with a spreading awareness among patients that “food is medicine.” 

In the survey involving 2,202 US adults, 85% agreed that fast foods do not promote good health.

When they were asked whether these foods should be sold in hospitals to patients, visitors, and staff, 52% of respondents said “no,” while 57% agreed that hospitals should not profit from fast food sold on their premises.

The report, published by the nonprofit Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, found that outlets of the fast food chain Chick-fil-A are located in at least 20 US hospitals or medical centers, based on the fast-food restaurant’s website.

“While many people consider chicken to be a healthier option than red meat, consuming chicken can increase cholesterol just as much as eating red meat,” says Anna Herby, nutrition education specialist for the organization, who oversees the organization’s Healthy Hospital Program.

“Hospital staff, visitors, and patients would benefit by choosing more chickpeas and other plant-based foods instead of chicken.”

Focus on plant-based meals

The Physicians Committee’s Healthy Hospital Program offers free resources to support institutions looking to include more plant-based options for patients, as they note animal-based products are linked to adverse health effects.

For example, the committee’s researchers say consuming chicken has been linked to higher cancer risk and fried chicken is linked to higher risk of heart disease. Earlier this year, a study claimed eating 300 g of poultry — about the size of a large chicken breast — per week is linked to an increased risk of gastrointestinal cancer and death from all causes.

Meanwhile, a cited study published in BMJ found that women who ate fried chicken once or more per day had a 13% higher risk of death from any cause compared with women who did not eat any fried food and a 12% increased risk of death from heart disease.

The American Medical Association adopted a resolution in 2017 calling on hospitals to offer plant-based meals while removing processed meats, such as chicken nuggets, from menus.

“Hospitals should set an example by ensuring that their restaurants serve more menu items that are cholesterol-free, low in saturated fat, and high in fiber-rich vegetables, grains, beans, and fruit,” urges Herby.

“Meals like these have been shown to help prevent or improve the chronic diseases that bring people to the hospital.”

Food is medicine movement

Public support around the development of Food is Medicine interventions in healthcare is ramping up in the US. In a previous survey, the majority of US adults supported food-based nutrition interventions, with nearly 90% agreeing that healthy foods are key to preventing obesity, high blood pressure, and type 2 diabetes.

Last month, a consumer survey commissioned by The Rockefeller Foundation found that nearly nine in 10 patients prefer to rely more on healthy eating rather than medications to manage their condition.

Nutrition Insight spoke with Katrien van Laere, Danone’s chief scientific and medical officer, to continue the conversation about the need for increased nutrition-oriented training in healthcare, where a balanced and tailored diet can support medical therapies.

Researchers estimate that medically tailored meals could save upwards of US$32 billion in healthcare costs in one year if implemented across the US.

Using a simulation model, one team of experts predicted that a fresh produce prescription program could prevent 296,000 cases of cardiovascular diseases and save US$40 billion in healthcare costs.