A growing body of research is examining a simple but increasingly influential idea in American health care: nutritious food can sometimes become part of a patient’s medical care.
A new report from the American Heart Association highlights rapid growth in “Food Is Medicine” research, including studies of medically tailored meals, medically tailored groceries and produce prescriptions for people with diet-related health conditions.
The report reviewed 57 studies published between July 2025 and June 2026 — a 68% increase compared with the previous year.
What Does “Food Is Medicine” Mean?
Food Is Medicine programs integrate nutritious food directly into health care.
Depending on a patient’s needs, these programs can include medically tailored meals designed around specific health conditions, groceries selected to meet nutritional requirements or prescriptions that help patients obtain fresh produce.
The goal is not to suggest that food replaces necessary medical treatment.
Instead, these programs examine whether providing appropriate nutrition alongside traditional medical care can improve health outcomes for people living with or at risk of diet-related chronic diseases.
What Did Researchers Find?
According to the American Heart Association’s new report, medically tailored meals and groceries showed particularly promising results across multiple studies.
Researchers found growing evidence of improvements in measures such as blood pressure, hemoglobin A1c and other cardiometabolic risk factors.
Some of the strongest results were observed when food programs were combined with additional support, including nutrition counseling, diabetes education, community health workers and care navigation.
However, researchers say more work is needed to determine exactly which interventions work best, for which patients and under what circumstances.
Research Is Expanding Rapidly
One of the biggest changes highlighted in the report is the amount of research now being conducted.
The number of randomized controlled trials in the field quadrupled in one year, according to the American Heart Association.
That is important because larger and better-designed trials can provide stronger evidence about whether these programs produce lasting health improvements.
Earlier research has shown encouraging improvements in diet quality and food security, but results for clinical measures such as blood pressure, body mass index and blood sugar have not always been consistent.
Personalized Nutrition Could Be Important
The latest research also suggests that simply providing healthy food may not always be enough.
Programs may work better when they consider a patient’s individual needs, preferences, culture and circumstances.
Convenience and flexibility can also affect whether people remain engaged with a program.
This is pushing researchers toward more personalized approaches rather than assuming that one nutrition program will work equally well for everyone.
Could Food Become a Bigger Part of U.S. Health Care?
Interest is already expanding beyond research.
According to the new report, 16 states have approved or are considering Medicaid waivers supporting Food Is Medicine programs, while federal funding for the field has also increased.
Researchers are now focusing on how these programs can be designed, financed and integrated into health care in ways that produce meaningful and sustainable results.
The evidence is still developing, and Food Is Medicine should not be viewed as a replacement for medications or other treatments prescribed by health professionals.
But with research accelerating across the United States, nutrition could play an increasingly important role in how some chronic diseases are managed alongside conventional medical care.
Source: American Heart Association