HHS Gets Over 250 Hospitals To Sign Healthy Food Pledge
More than 250 hospitals have signed a voluntary pledge to serve healthier food to patients, according to Fierce Healthcare. This move aims to improve nutrition and patient outcomes.
Original reporting · fiercehealthcare.com
Original: “Over 250 hospitals sign HHS' voluntary 'Make Hospital Food Healthier Pledge'”
Read “Over 250 hospitals sign HHS' voluntary 'Make Hospital Food Healthier Pledge'” at Fierce Healthcare →
How this was written. Diagnosis Forward wrote this article with a language model from Fierce Healthcare’s reporting (model: @cf/meta/llama-3.3-70b-instruct-fp8-fast); it describes that reporting rather than adding to it. The original, linked above, is the full story.
Key points from Fierce Healthcare’s report
- Over 250 hospitals have signed a voluntary pledge to serve healthier food to patients.
- The pledge commits participating organizations to eliminate deep-fried foods and limit sugary drinks and unhealthy foods.
- The initiative aims to improve nutrition and patient outcomes, and promote healthier communities.
- The American Hospital Association has endorsed the pledge and plans to share it with its members.
- Hospitals that sign the pledge may display a badge on their websites to indicate their commitment to serving healthier food.
The Department of Health and Human Services has launched an initiative to promote healthier food options in hospitals. As part of this effort, over 250 hospitals have signed a voluntary pledge to improve nutrition for their patients, staff, and communities.
Major health systems, including Sanford Health, Corewell Health, and Houston Methodist, are among the early adopters of the pledge. Other notable signatories include Cleveland Clinic, SSM Health, and Nemours Children's.
HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has urged all hospitals in the US to join the pledge and make healthy food a standard part of healthcare. The pledge commits participating organizations to eliminate deep-fried foods and limit sugary drinks and foods high in added sugars, sodium, or artificial additives.
The American Hospital Association has endorsed the voluntary pledge, with its president and CEO, Rick Pollack, stating that the group supports the initiative. The association plans to share the pledge with its members and encourage them to review and consider it.
The pledge is part of a broader effort by HHS to emphasize the importance of nutrition in preventing chronic diseases and promoting long-term wellness. The department has also revised its dietary guidelines to discourage ultra-processed foods and prioritize whole grains, proteins, and healthy fats.
Hospitals that sign the pledge may display a badge on their websites to indicate their commitment to serving healthier food. This move is expected to improve patient outcomes, reduce complications, and promote healthier communities.
The initiative has received support from various stakeholders, including healthcare providers and advocacy groups. The focus on nutrition is seen as a key aspect of patient care, and the pledge aims to make healthy food a standard part of hospital care. This article is based on reporting by Fierce Healthcare.
Questions and answers
What is the purpose of the Make Hospital Food Healthier Pledge?
The pledge aims to improve nutrition and patient outcomes by promoting healthier food options in hospitals.
Which organizations have signed the pledge?
Over 250 hospitals, including major health systems like Sanford Health, Corewell Health, and Houston Methodist, have signed the pledge.
What changes will hospitals make as part of the pledge?
Hospitals that sign the pledge commit to eliminating deep-fried foods, limiting sugary drinks, and reducing foods high in added sugars, sodium, or artificial additives.
