Explore nutrition resources, patient education tools and scientific literature that can help support meaningful food-as-medicine conversations in clinical care.
Designed for osteopathic physicians, the AOA’s Food as Medicine Resource Guide provides credible, evidence-informed nutrition resources that can support whole-person, preventive care. This guide brings together practical patient education tools, clinical background and scientific literature on key nutrition topics, including brain health, ultra-processed foods, gut health and microbiome, and heart-healthy dietary approaches related to cardiovascular disease and cancer prevention.
DOs can use this guide as a starting point for patient conversations, nutrition assessments and care planning, while recognizing that individualized nutrition counseling, referrals to registered dietitians and formal medical nutrition therapy remain essential when appropriate.
The primary resource content is organized into research addressing four major areas:
Brain health
Dietary patterns and foods associated with cognitive health, memory, cognitive decline and dementia risk
Ultra-processed foods
What constitutes ultra-processed food and its relationship to overeating, weight gain, cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes and cancer risk
Gut health/microbiome
The relationship between diet and gut microbiome, including fiber, prebiotics, probiotics, fermented foods and more
Heart-healthy diet
Dietary approaches associated with cardiovascular health and cancer prevention, including fiber, whole grains, fruits and vegetables, and certain food reductions
Throughout the guide, physicians will be connected to both scientific literature and practical education resources from reputable organizations, such as the American Heart Association, National Institutes of Health, Cleveland Clinic, Johns Hopkins Medicine, the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) and more.
