Research to Radicchio: Process Implementation of a Therapeutic Whole Food Plant-Based (WFPB) Inpatient Menu Within a Large Academic Healthcare System

Abstract

Evidence on the benefits of consuming a whole food, plant-based (WFPB) dietary pattern for overall health and chronic disease prevention and remission is mounting. A large amount of evidence supports plant-predominant nutrition with significant con- tributions to the research coming from the Adventist Health Studies (AHS) at Loma Linda University Health (LLUH). The totality of evidence on plant-predominant nutrition has influenced guideline changes by the American College of Cardiology and the American Medical Association to strongly recommend hospitals offer plant-based nutrition to patients. A knowledge translation project was spearheaded at LLUH to adopt evidence-based research into acute care while also meeting emerging guidelines and regulations. A therapeutic inpatient menu comprised of whole plant foods with no added oils or refined sugars and low in sodium for the purpose of adjunct treatment of acute illness management was developed. Multidisciplinary team development, key stakeholder involvement, and applying effective strategies to overcome challenges were crucial in implementing system-wide changes to align the best nutritional evidence with clinical practice.