A new clinical trial demonstrates that providing customised grocery deliveries to adults with poorly controlled type 2 diabetes can lead to meaningful reductions in blood sugar levels and improved food security, signalling a potential shift in health management strategies for low-income populations.
A new clinical trial suggests that delivering medically tailored groceries to people with poorly controlled type 2 diabetes can improve blood sugar levels and help address food insecurity, adding weight to the growing “Food is Medicine” movement. The study, published in Circulation and reported by Kaiser Permanente, focused on adults covered by Medicaid in Southern California, a group that often faces some of the greatest barriers to buying healthy food regularly.
Researchers enrolled 460 adults with type 2 diabetes and elevated HbA1c, the measure used to assess average blood sugar over several months. Participants were randomly assigned either to usual care or to receive monthly home deliveries of healthier groceries for 6 months, along with recipes and nutrition counselling by phone. According to the trial details on PubMed, the groceries were delivered in two monthly value bands of about $135 and $175, with weekly deliveries forming part of the intervention.
The results were modest but clinically meaningful. Kaiser Permanente said blood sugar improved more in the delivery group than in those receiving standard care, with HbA1c falling by about two-thirds of a percentage point compared with roughly one-quarter of a point in the control group. The benefit appeared across a range of subgroups, including men and women and people with different education levels and degrees of food insecurity. The study also found that participants receiving groceries were more likely to report reliable access to nutritious food.
The trial did not show clear changes in weight or blood pressure over the 6-month period, which the researchers said may be too short for those outcomes to move. Still, the findings point to a wider role for healthcare systems in supporting diet, particularly for low-income patients who struggle to afford fresh produce and other healthy foods. Because the study was randomised, it offers stronger evidence than many earlier programmes, though the authors noted that longer follow-up and broader testing will be needed to see whether the gains persist and apply beyond Medicaid populations.
Disclaimer: This content is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical judgment, advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
