More than 250 hospitals across the United States have signed the Make Hospital Food Healthier Pledge, a voluntary federal initiative to improve the nutritional quality of meals served to patients. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced the milestone on Monday, Oct. 26, at Corewell Health's Lifestyle and Culinary Medicine Practice in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
What does the pledge ask hospitals to do?
Hospitals that sign agree to review their food service programs and align them with the 2025-2030 Dietary Guidelines for Americans where clinically appropriate and feasible. The pledge calls for limiting ultra-processed foods, sugar-sweetened beverages, processed meats and items high in added sugar, sodium or artificial additives. It favors whole grains over refined grains and asks kitchens to bake, roast or grill rather than deep fry. Signers are also encouraged to expand healthier choices for staff and visitors and to teach patients about nutrition before discharge.
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How many hospitals have signed?
The 250-plus signers represent about 4% of the roughly 6,100 hospitals in the United States, according to the American Hospital Association. Tampa General Hospital in Florida signed first in July, when Kennedy and Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz launched the pledge. By mid-August, Corewell Health, Houston Methodist and Sanford Health had joined. Kennedy used the announcement to call on every hospital in the country to sign, saying hospitals "have a responsibility to promote health in every part of patient care, including the food they serve." Participating hospitals can display a badge reading "Committed to Excellence in Hospital Nutrition" on their websites.
Will the pledge change what patients eat?
The pledge is voluntary, and the American Hospital Association has stopped short of endorsing it. AHA President and CEO Rick Pollack said in August that the group supports the administration's continued focus on meeting patients' nutritional needs and is sharing the pledge with members. Corewell Health president and CEO Tina Freese Decker said meals are customized with physicians and nutritionists based on each patient's condition. Kennedy said Tampa General, one of the first hospitals to change its menu, is measuring health outcomes on its own.
FAQ
Is the pledge mandatory?
No. It is a voluntary commitment, and hospitals choose whether to sign and display the badge.
What happens next?
The government is urging more hospitals to join, while the AHA shares the pledge with its members. Whether signers report measurable changes in patient health is not yet known.
