The Changing Consumer Plate
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- 4 min read
By Marianne Smith Edge, MS, RDN, LD, FAND, Owner, The AgriNutrition Edge; former president, Academy of Nutrition & Dietetics; podcast host, Rooted & Restless (August 4, 2026)
Hear more from Smith Edge on the Food Consumption Trends & Nutrition Policy Panel at the 15th annual Women in Agribusiness Summit, September 22-24 in New Orleans.
Food is the core of our existence and center to individual health, our community well-being, and the broader economy. What consumers choose to eat—or not eat—shapes not only personal health outcomes, but also the agriculture, food production, processing, and technology systems that supply our communities.
Historically, agriculture, food processing, technology, nutrition, and healthcare have often been viewed through separate lenses. That is beginning to change. With growing national attention on Food is Medicine programs and the rapid adoption of GLP-1 medications for weight loss, consumer food preferences are becoming a central topic -- one that may reshape agriculture and food production systems.
The Health Reality
Consumer preferences have always influenced what farmers, ranchers, and growers produce. Today, however, the economic burden of chronic disease in the United States and beyond is creating new urgency to think differently about the connection between food and health. In the health and food policy space, two topics are driving much of the conversation: Food is Medicine and GLP-1 medications. One is gaining traction; the other is already entrenched and accelerating.
Food is Medicine—or Food is Health?
The term “Food is Medicine” is most used in produce prescription programs, while “Food is Health” is often used more broadly to describe the integration of food systems and health outcomes. Although the concept of food as medicine is centuries old, it has been more formally defined in recent years by organizations such as The Rockefeller Foundation, Tufts University, the American Heart Association, the Milken Institute, and the Harvard Law School Center for Health Policy.
Food is Medicine programs are generally understood as healthcareintegrated community interventions to address individuals’ chronic diseases. These interventions may include medically tailored meals, groceries, produce prescriptions, nutrition education, and culinary education as part of a patient’s treatment plan. Fresh produce is often a central component of these programs.
Medically tailored meals and produce prescription programs are currently being piloted in several states, with related studies evaluating health outcomes. Early results have been positive, although enrollment remains small compared with the number of people living with diet-related chronic disease. If Food is Medicine programs were scaled to meet the needs of all 43 million Americans with diet-related chronic disease, demand for healthy foods—particularly fruits and vegetables—could increase by an estimated $50.2 billion annually.
Food is Medicine and Food is Health are terms also used to describe broader local food purchasing efforts, such as connecting hospitals and healthcare systems with regional farmers and food producers. In Kentucky, for example, the Kentucky Department of Agriculture is working with the state's hospital association, the University of Kentucky Food as Health Alliance, and other partners to increase access to fresh, locally produced food within the healthcare systems. As Food is Medicine and Food is Health programs continue to grow, specialty crop producers may see meaningful opportunities.
The GLP-1 Effect
While Food is Medicine initiatives are gaining traction, the impact of GLP-1 medications is already being felt. A 2025 Gallup survey reported that more than 12% of respondents were using a GLP-1 medication. If that survey reflects the broader U.S. population, roughly one in eight Americans is using these medications. The market is projected to reach $100 billion by 2030, approximately doubling its 2024 size.
Why the rapid growth? Weight and documented reduction of obesity rates are evident. GLP-1 drugs slow stomach emptying and affects areas of the brain that trigger hunger due to increased insulin production and reduction of blood sugar level.
This effect decreases overall food consumption yet increases the need for nutrient rich foods.
Recent studies have shown within the first six months of starting a GLP-1 medication, households reduce grocery spending by over 5%, and 8% for high-income households. The recent 2026 Consumer Curiosity Report released by Curious Plot shows that GLP-1s are having an impact on what “early food adopters” are putting in their food carts, with or without a prescription.
Recent agriculture economic studies by Michigan State Extension, Arkansas, Purdue and Oklahoma State confirm that the reduction in food consumption will eventually impact the farmgate. While the protein demand is real, the trickle-down effect of overall reduced food intake (especially processed foods), may result in lower commodity prices. According to the Michigan State study, corn, soybeans, sugar and perhaps potatoes are projected to be the most threatened by the increased use of GLP-1s.
Animal protein and dairy will continue to have a “place on the plate” but decline in overall intake is projected. As with the Food is Medicine programs, specialty crop growers are projected to benefit as consumer are seeking foods packed with nutrients, fiber, and less calories.
Be at the Same Table
The changing consumer plate is no longer a distant possibility; it is already taking shape, and it carries significant implications for the health of our nation and the future of agricultural production. As food choices shift in response to Food is Medicine initiatives and GLP-1 medications, the food and agriculture sectors will need to adapt and change along the way.
Now is the time for stakeholders across the food continuum—farmers, ranchers, growers, processors, healthcare leaders, policymakers, researchers, and community partners—to come to the same table. Together, these groups can shape practical strategies that strengthen public health while supporting resilient agricultural and food production systems.
It is a conversation worth having—and one that can benefit us all.
*Resource list can be provided.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Marianne Smith Edge, MS, RDN, LD, FADA, FAND is Founder and Principal, The AgriNutrition Edge, providing strategic counsel and communication strategies for food, nutrition and ag organizations. She is a 6th generation farm owner, speaker, facilitator, blogger, and produces the weekly podcast “Rooted & Restless”. Marianne holds an assistant Adjunct Professor appointment, Department of Human Nutrition & Dietetics at the University of Kentucky and a former president of The Academy of Nutrition & Dietetics.
Marianne holds a Bachelor of Science degree in dietetics from the University of Kentucky where she was a former member of the Board of Trustees and a master’s degree in public health-nutrition from Western Kentucky University.
