A Systematic Review of "Food Is Medicine" Randomized Controlled Trials for Noncommunicable Disease in the United States
Published: June 18, 2025
- Food is Medicine (FIM) programs provide free or subsidized healthy foods—such as produce prescriptions, medically tailored groceries, and meals—to improve diet quality, food security, and health outcomes, particularly for food-insecure populations with chronic diseases, in close coordination with the health care system.
- This systematic review identified 14 randomized controlled trials (RCTs), most in early stages, showing consistent improvements in diet quality and food security, though impacts on clinical outcomes were inconsistent. More large-scale, long-duration studies are needed to strengthen the evidence base.
- In future studies, systematic approaches incorporating implementation science and behavioral economics are critical to addressing gaps in understanding, which include optimal intervention design, populations most likely to benefit, and long-term impacts, while ensuring scalability and sustainability of FIM programs.
Recommended Reading
- Food Is Medicine
- Life's Essential Eight
- 2019 CVD Primary Prevention Guideline
- 2021 Dietary Guidance to Improve Cardiovascular Health
- Strengthening US Food Policies and Programs to Promote Equity in Nutrition Security
- Recommended Dietary Pattern to Achieve Adherence to the American Heart Association/American College of Cardiology (AHA/ACC) Guidelines