April is Earth Month

By Elizabeth Baca, M.D., M.P.A., managing director, and Andrew Coccia, senior manager, Deloitte Consulting LLP

There is a strong connection between planetary health and dietary health.¹ While the food people eat can have a direct impact on their well-being and health care costs, their food choices can have an indirect—but profound—effect on the environment. We are nearing the end of Earth Month, a global celebration dedicated to the health of the planet. Even after the month ends, health care organizations and employers should consider the role they can play in improving the health of the Earth…and the people who live here.² By addressing issues that affect both dietary and planetary health, a healthier and more sustainable future is possible (see the video, Transforming the Future of Food).

A growing number of health plans, health systems, grocers, and employers seem to recognize the role nutrition plays in health. A poor diet, for example, can increase the risk of chronic health conditions, including obesity, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and some forms of cancer.³ Healthy eating can prevent up to 80% of premature heart disease and reduce the risk of stroke.⁴ In addition, healthy workers tend to be more productive and have lower health-related costs. Consider this: Poor diets—too little intake of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, and healthy fats; and too much salt, sugar, and highly processed foods—contribute to the deaths of more than 500,000 people in the US each year.⁵ In addition, unhealthy diets also cost employers an estimated $1.1 trillion in health care expenses and lost productivity.⁶ Healthy eating can also have a notable effect on the environment. Increased demand for locally sourced fruits, vegetables, and whole grains could help reduce waste associated with the packaging and processing of more shelf-stable foods.⁷

Improving dietary health

Unhealthy food has become ubiquitous in schools, workplaces, even in hospitals.⁸ Medical costs in the US could be reduced by an estimated $70 billion a year if people increased their intake of fruits and vegetables to meet dietary guidelines.⁹ However, just 1 in 10 adults consume the recommended amount of those foods.¹⁰ In an effort to reverse this trend, some health insurers, health systems, and employers are trying to steer their members, patients, and workers toward healthier diets. Consider the following examples:

• Tufts University and Kaiser Permanente—along with several health plans and pharmacy chains—launched the Food is Medicine National Network of Excellence, an initiative aimed at highlighting the connection between nutrition, disease, and health care costs. Member companies are collaborating on frameworks to assess the impact food—including medically tailored meals, produce prescriptions, and nutrition education—has on health.¹¹
• The Health Action Council (HAC)—a not-for-profit purchasing coalition made up of 230 self-insured large and mid-sized employers—says it is working to improve the health of employees and their families. A recent study from HAC estimated that health care costs for workers who suffer from obesity were double those of workers without the condition. The study also found that children whose parents suffer from obesity tend to have higher medical costs than other children.¹² HAC says it is encouraging its member companies to educate workers about the role nutrition plays in health, and to replace unhealthy breakroom and cafeteria foods with healthier options.
• NYC Health + Hospitals—which operates more than 70 health care facilities throughout New York City—began offering free boxes of fresh produce to patients who are enrolled in its Lifestyle Medicine Program. Through the program, patients work with dietitians to learn how to incorporate fruits and vegetables into their diets. Most of the produce is sourced from local or regional farms. Adults living with prediabetes, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, or health concerns related to excess weight are eligible to enroll.¹³
• Sodexo, a food service provider, recently announced plans to expand its plant-based meals program to all of its 400 US hospital sites. The company says it serves 290,000 meals each day in hospitals. Some hospitals that have adopted plant-based menus acknowledge the dual benefits of improved nutrition and reduced environmental impact.¹⁴

Hospitals and other large employers that provide food to their onsite workforce could be well positioned to encourage food companies to provide healthier options to their patients and/or employees if they set nutrition standards for their food purchases.¹⁵ In addition, simple solutions such as product placement and subsidies for healthier foods can have significant results on the choices workers make.

Improving planetary health

Globally, 13.2% of grown food is lost between harvest and sale, while nearly 20% of total global food production is wasted.¹⁶ This means all the resources used to produce this food (e.g., water, land, and energy) also get wasted. Food that doesn’t get used typically winds up in landfills, leading to greenhouse (GHG) emissions.¹⁷

The health care sector is one of the nation’s largest purchasers of food—spending $15 billion annually.¹⁸ Health care organizations are also contributors to an estimated 8-10% of total emissions in the US, and 5% globally (see Can health execs help offset climate-change?). Efforts to improve the health of patients and employees can significantly reduce a hospital’s environmental footprint. Sourcing food locally can also contribute to the local economy and may reduce the environmental impact of packaging and long-distance transportation. Additionally, reducing food waste through mindful consumption and appropriate portion control can help conserve resources and minimize the environmental impact of landfills.

Farms are typically the starting point for the food supply chain. Locally sourced produce tends to retain more nutrients because it doesn’t need to be harvested too early or be transported long distances. Many types of produce can lose 30% of their nutrients just a few days after harvest.¹⁹ Some organizations are exploring the role of regenerative agriculture, which includes enhancing the health of the soil on farms, to grow more nutrient-dense produce and increase production. Regenerative agriculture includes practices like planting cover crops—plants that are not harvested but are used to protect and enrich the soil. It also encourages lower pesticide use, which not only protects the soil but supports local ecosystems.²⁰

Conclusion

When health plans, health systems, and business leaders support diets that prioritize sustainability, they could help to improve the health of their members, their patients, and the communities they serve. At the same time, they may also be supporting the well-being of the planet by fostering a more eco-friendly food system. As we celebrate Earth Month, let's remember that dietary choices have far-reaching implications for personal health and the health of the planet. By making mindful food choices, consuming sustainable agriculture, and reducing food waste, health leaders and individuals can contribute to a healthier, more sustainable world.

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Endnotes:

^{1_{The EAT-Lancet Commission on healthy diets from sustainable food systems, The Lancet, January 16, 2019}}

^{2_{Earth Day: The official site, Earth Day 2025}}

^{3_{About chronic diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, October 4, 2024}}

^{4_{Cardiovascular disease prevention, World Heart Federation}}

^{5_{Tufts University and leading health care organizations launch food is medicine national network, TuftsNow, February 6, 2025}}

^{6_{Poor diets are harming our health, Tufts Food Is Medicine Institute, August 20}}

^{7_{How to reduce food waste and its environmental footprint, ResearchGate, September 2021}}

^{8_{Fast-food outlets in hospitals affiliated with US medical schools, American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine, September 4, 2024}}

^{9_{Annual heart failure costs in the US could surpass $70B by 2030, Cardiovascular Business, January 25, 2022}}

^{10_{Scientific report of 2025 dietary guidelines, US Department of Agriculture, December 10, 2024}}

^{11_{Tufts University and leading health care organizations launch Food is Medicine National Network of Excellence, Tufts Now, February 6, 2025}}

^{12_{A look at how obesity is impacting employer health costs, Fierce Healthcare, February 17, 2025}}

^{13_{NYC Health + Hospitals launches free, monthly produce boxes for patients, NYC Health + Hospitals press release, August 1, 2024}}

^{14_{Sodexo expands plant-based hospital meals, Sodexo press release, April 4, 2025}}

^{15_{What counts as community benefit, Catholic Health Association of the United States}}

^{16_{Food Loss and Waste Reduction | United Nations}}

^{17_{Ag and food statistics, US Department of Agriculture}}

^{18_{Environmental effects of healthcare, The Commonwealth Fund, April 19, 2022}}

^{19_{Vegetables are losing their nutrients, The Guardian, March 29, 2024}}

^{20_{Food, climate & regenerative farming, The Nature Conservancy, September 1, 2023}}

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