Let food be thy medicine: linking local food and health systems to address the full spectrum of malnutrition in low-income and middle-income countries

Hippocrates (fifth century BCE), the father of medicine and namesake of the Oath many medical students swear by to this day, was among the first to recognise the centrality of diet in disease prevention and treatment. In that Oath, the statement, ‘I will apply dietetic measures for the benefit of the sick according to my ability and judgement’, comes before statements about drugs and surgery. Unfortunately, the importance of diet and nutrition in medicine is lost in most discussions of health system reform today, especially in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs).
Moreover, few food system researchers and policymakers consider the myriad opportunities for improving health through forging partnerships between local food, agriculture and health systems.