Function Launches "Eat Different" to Challenge a Food System Built for Convenience, Not Health

In response to rising diet-related disease, Function launches Eat Different — a new initiative focused on how food actually affects our biology.

AUSTIN, Texas, Jan. 5, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Ultra-processed foods now dominate the American diet, and the health consequences are increasingly clear. Despite being the wealthiest country in the world, the United States ranks 48th in life expectancy, with chronic, diet-related disease driving a growing share of personal and economic burden—even as the U.S. spends more per capita on healthcare than any other high-income nation.

Function sees the dietary impact of this reality clearly across its member base. More than 65 percent of members fall outside the optimal range for fasting insulin—an early marker of metabolic dysfunction closely influenced by carbohydrate intake, meal timing, and overall eating patterns. 54 percent show elevated Apolipoprotein B (ApoB), a key cardiovascular risk marker shaped in part by dietary fat quality and composition. Nearly one in four fall into the lowest quartile for Omega-3 fatty acids, levels driven by food choices and associated with increased heart risk. Markers of inflammation and immune stress are also common, including elevated hs-CRP and autoimmune antibodies—patterns often linked to diet-driven inflammation and cumulative nutritional stress.

As these signals become harder to ignore, so does the appetite for a different way forward. 76 percent of Americans say they would prefer to use food to support their health rather than rely on prescription medications, and more than 80 percent believe the health system should offer more food- and nutrition-based approaches.

Function is launching "Eat Different" in response to that demand.

Eat Different is a new initiative centered on sharing the truth of what food actually does in the body, inviting a shift away from default eating to eating in service of your unique health. Function is part of the shift by empowering people to understand what their individual body needs and which foods to prioritize, which to limit, as well as how eating patterns influence energy, metabolism, sleep, and long-term health.

Eat Different popularizes a new mindset and knowledge around what people put in their body. This includes cementing the daily instinct to ensure ingredients serve one's health based on their quality and what one's unique biology actually needs. It encourages people to look beyond marketing and cravings, and toward what is actually true about their food. What is right for one person may not be for another, especially based on the status of their heart, hormones, thyroid, liver, autoimmunity, immunity and other health aspects that Function measures.

"Eating today is mostly a response to cravings or convenience, but rarely as the biological signaling it actually is," said Jonathan Swerdlin, Function's co-founder and CEO. "Our food systems have largely been industrialized and heavily marketed, leaving us exposed to the harm default eating can inflict on our health. Eat Different resets our knowledge and awareness around food — without removing pleasure, culture, or choice."

Eating differently is already shaping health outcomes for Function members. Alan, a 69-year-old small business owner from Texas, joined Function after a type 2 diabetes diagnosis. By adjusting his eating based on his lab test results rather than generalized guidance, his HbA1c dropped from 8.3% to 5.6%, his weight decreased by 14 pounds, and his energy improved measurably.

Eat Different makes this clarity and mentality possible in real life. Through a series of upcoming partnerships where people already eat, from restaurants to local markets, Function is making it easier to eat for your health.

For more information, visit: www.eatdifferent.com

About Function:
Function is on a mission to empower everyone to live 100 healthy years. It is the first platform to make lab testing, advanced MRI and CT scans, and longitudinal health data accessible and understandable. Function is developing Medical Intelligence, a continuous learning system designed to help people see, understand, and act on their biology in real time. Unlike the average annual physical, which measures roughly 26 biomarkers, Function members receive access to 160+ lab tests spanning heart, hormones, thyroid, liver, kidneys, heavy metals, nutrients, inflammation, cancer signals, and more biannually for $365 per year – $1/day. Through its acquisition of Ezra, Function now offers MRI powered by FDA-cleared AI that takes just 22 minutes, making potentially lifesaving advanced scans accessible to more people. The advanced MRI can detect cancers, unruptured aneurysms, endometriosis, signs of stroke, etc., while the CT scan can identify lung cancer, plaque in the heart, etc. All data is integrated into a single intelligent interface, giving each member a personalized view of their health and enabling powerfully informed decisions. Function is redefining what it means to take control of your health.

SOURCE Function Health