Accelerated research, increased investment signal landmark year for food is medicine

DALLAS, Sept. 17, 2026 - The emerging public health field of food is medicine (FIM) experienced a rapid acceleration in the number of research studies published and substantial progress in advancing public policy. These trends demonstrate the growing potential for healthcare-integrated nutrition interventions to improve health outcomes cost effectively, according to a new report from the American Heart Association's Health Care by Food^TM initiative.

The annual report, Advances in the Food Is Medicine Field 2026, offers a comprehensive review of 57 research studies published between July 2025 and June 2026, representing a 68% increase from the previous year and signaling a rapidly expanding scientific evidence base. Notably, the number of published randomized controlled trials, considered the gold standard in medical research, quadrupled in just one year.

As scientific evidence of FIM's public health impact continues to grow, so does government investment: 16 states now have approved or are considering Medicaid waivers supporting food is medicine programs. Six states are using Medicaid managed care in lieu of services (ILOS) authority to provide FIM services and federal policymakers increased food is medicine funding by $24 million in the FY2026 spending bill, representing a more than fourfold increase since FY2024, the report finds.

The report cites state Medicaid evaluations found that FIM programs were associated with lower hospitalization or inpatient service use, lower emergency department use and reductions in healthcare costs. Continued evaluation will help identify how program design, eligibility, duration and delivery models affect outcomes.

"Food is medicine science has moved beyond the question of whether these interventions are feasible and effective to how they can be most beneficial for individual patients and communities," said Nancy Brown, Chief Executive Officer of the American Heart Association. "Today's evidence is helping answer which interventions work best, for whom, under what circumstances, and how healthcare systems can implement them effectively to meaningfully improve health cost effectively."

Strongest evidence yet for medically tailored meals and groceries

Among the report's most significant findings, medically tailored meals (MTMs) and medically tailored groceries (MTGs) showed particularly promising results across multiple studies. Researchers found growing evidence that these interventions can improve blood pressure, hemoglobin A1c and other cardiometabolic risk factors, with stronger signals often observed when paired with nutrition counseling, community health worker support or other complementary services. The report states that further research is needed to understand the specific role these services may play in improving health outcomes.

"The science of food is medicine is rapidly developing," said Kevin Volpp, MD, PhD, American Heart Association's Health Care by Food scientific lead and Ralph and Beth Johnston Muller Director of the Center for Health Incentives and Behavioral Economics at the University of Pennsylvania's Perelman School of Medicine and the Wharton School. "The next phase of research will focus on matching the type and design of a food is medicine intervention to a patient's needs, preferences and circumstances - an essential step in continuing to increase engagement and sustained impact."

Personalized, patient-centered approaches emerging as key success factor

The report finds that successful food is medicine programs often go beyond providing food. The strongest outcomes were seen in programs that combined food support with services such as nutrition counseling, diabetes self-management education, motivational interviewing, community health worker support and care navigation.

The studies examined in the report found growing evidence that participant preferences, cultural relevance, convenience and flexibility play critical roles in program engagement and effectiveness. Many newer interventions are designed around patient needs and preferences, reflecting the field's shift toward more personalized care models.

From feasibility to effectiveness

The report concludes that the field is entering a more mature phase, shifting from questions about feasibility toward questions of optimization, implementation, financing and sustainability. While important research gaps remain, the growing body of evidence is helping healthcare leaders, policymakers and payers make more informed decisions about integrating food-based interventions into healthcare delivery.

"Collectively, these studies help shift the field from asking whether food is medicine can improve health outcomes toward a focus on how food is medicine should be designed, targeted, implemented and sustained to achieve meaningful impact," the report concludes.

The American Heart Association, devoted to changing the future to a world of healthier lives for all, launched the Health Care by Food initiative in 2023. The initiative works to improve health and reduce the burden of diet-related chronic diseases by integrating evidence-based nutrition interventions into healthcare systems.

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About the American Heart Association

The American Heart Association is a relentless force for a world of longer, healthier lives. Dedicated to ensuring equitable health in all communities, the organization has been a leading source of health information for more than one hundred years. Supported by more than 35 million volunteers globally, we fund groundbreaking research, advocate for the public's health, and provide critical resources to save and improve lives affected by cardiovascular disease and stroke. By driving breakthroughs and implementing proven solutions in science, policy, and care, we work tirelessly to advance health and transform lives every day. Connect with us on heart.org, Facebook, X or by calling 1-800-AHA-USA1.

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