The American College of Lifestyle Medicine (ACLM) has released an updated dietary position statement, reflecting a growing national focus on the critical link between nutrition and chronic disease. The updated statement, announced on , aims to provide clinicians with guidance on addressing chronic illnesses through dietary interventions.
The original ACLM dietary position statement, developed over 20 years ago, highlighted the importance of optimal foods in the treatment, reversal, and prevention of lifestyle-related chronic diseases. According to Micaela Karlsen, PhD, MSPH, ACLM senior director of research, the updated statement expands upon this foundation by articulating four key points regarding the utilization of “food is medicine.”
Food is Medicine: A Multifaceted Approach
The ACLM defines “food is medicine” as the use of food and nutrition interventions, guided by trained healthcare professionals, to improve health outcomes and nutrition security throughout a person’s life. This approach, the ACLM emphasizes, is most effective when it is person-centered, culturally tailored, and involves collaborative decision-making between the healthcare provider and the patient.
The statement recognizes that food is medicine can encompass a range of interventions, including nutritional counseling, education, behavioral support, and culinary medicine education. In some cases, it may also involve providing access to healthy food and related resources, particularly for underserved populations facing food insecurity.
A Continuum of Dietary Patterns
The ACLM’s updated position acknowledges that healthy dietary patterns exist on a continuum, ranging from preventative measures to the reversal of chronic diseases. The intensity and therapeutic “dosing” of these dietary interventions should be tailored to the individual’s needs and health status.
The statement outlines key characteristics of optimal dietary patterns for preventing, treating, and reversing chronic diseases. These patterns should prioritize a variety of whole and minimally processed plant foods – including fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, seeds, legumes, and mushrooms – while ensuring adequate energy intake. Conversely, they should minimize the consumption of red and processed meats, foods high in saturated fat, ultraprocessed foods containing added sugars, refined carbohydrates, unhealthy fats and oils, sweeteners, and excessive sodium.
Alignment with the 2025-2030 Dietary Guidelines for Americans
The release of the updated ACLM statement coincides with increased national attention on nutrition, particularly following the release of the 2025-2030 Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGAs) last month. The ACLM notes a strong alignment between its updated statement and the new DGAs, particularly regarding the recognition of the connection between diet and chronic disease, the emphasis on whole and unprocessed foods, and the recommendation to limit highly processed foods, added sugars, and ultraprocessed foods. Water is also emphasized as the beverage of choice.
However, some differences exist. Karlsen noted that the ACLM recommends limiting red meat to a greater extent than the DGAs. The ACLM does not consider butter or beef tallow to be healthy fats.
The Importance of an Interprofessional Team
Effective implementation of food is medicine in clinical practice, according to the ACLM, requires an interprofessional healthcare team working within their respective scopes of practice and possessing training in nutrition-related lifestyle medicine competencies. A crucial member of this team is a registered dietitian certified in lifestyle medicine.
The ACLM stresses the importance of tailoring nutrition prescriptions to meet individual patient needs, goals, and health status. This personalized approach is essential for supporting patients in adopting dietary changes that promote health and reduce the risk of chronic disease.
“Tailoring nutrition prescriptions to meet people where they are and ensuring they are appropriate to their goals and health needs is critical in supporting them to eat more of the foods that promote health and fewer of the foods that increase risk of chronic disease,” Karlsen said.
The ACLM’s updated dietary position statement represents a significant step towards integrating food as a central component of chronic disease prevention and treatment. By providing clinicians with evidence-based guidance and emphasizing the importance of a holistic, patient-centered approach, the ACLM aims to empower healthcare professionals to harness the power of food to improve the health and well-being of their patients.
