Resolution 23-5456 Food is Medicine
Food insecurity is defined as the lack of consistent access to enough food for an active, healthy life. It affects approximately 33.8 million people in the United States and is linked to lower food quality and a higher probability of chronic disease diagnosis.
The Greater Chicagoland Food Depository projects that over 613,000 Cook County residents live in food insecure households. According to data from the Cook County Department of Public Health, the south and west suburbs of Cook County shoulder the greatest burden of low income and low food access, with over 35 percent of the population living in these land tracts are either low income or low food access.
To address these concerns, Commissioner Dennis Deer introduced Resolution 23-5456 recognizing the concept that food is medicine and the importance of access to high-quality food in the management and prevention of chronic disease and obesity and to:
- Create “Food is Medicine” advertising campaign.
- Build upon existing healthy food programs throughout Cook County Health System.
- Create a Food Security Program Manager within Cook County Health to prioritize equitable food security impact on health outcomes.
- Engage organizations that provide fresh produce for “Food is Medicine” programming.
- Create “Food is Medicine” educational interactive website.
- Create a “Food Passport” program in partnership with local restaurants.
Cook County Farm Bureau supported the resolution.