Managing Type 2 diabetes can be challenging. Food choices matter, but healthy options aren’t always easy to afford or find.
A Kaiser Permanente study found that adults with diabetes who were on Medicaid improved their blood sugar when they received healthy grocery deliveries at home.
Making healthy food easier to get
The study looked at a growing approach in health care: adding healthy food to the care and medication people receive.
The approach focuses on giving people healthy food so they can feel better, spend less money on medical bills, and improve their health.
The research was published in the journal Circulation.
“This study shows that getting healthy food can help people lower their blood sugar without needing more medicine,” said Claudia Nau, PhD, who led the study. “Our results suggest that making healthy food easier to get can really help people with diabetes, especially those who have a hard time affording or finding healthy food.”
How the study worked
The study included 460 adults with Type 2 diabetes who had high blood sugar and were enrolled in Medicaid. All participants received care at Kaiser Permanente medical offices in Southern California. Participants joined the study between November 2021 and July 2022.
The purpose of the study was to see if delivering healthy groceries could help participants manage their blood sugar.
Researchers placed people into groups by chance. One group continued its usual care. Another group of people received weekly deliveries of healthy groceries for 6 months.
The amount of food delivered was based on household size. Participants also received culturally relevant recipes and could talk with a nutrition expert over the phone.
Key findings
People who got groceries tailored to their health needs improved their blood sugar. On average, their blood sugar levels dropped by nearly half a point over 6 months compared to people who received usual care.
The study tested 2 types of grocery deliveries — one with higher-cost foods and one with lower-cost options. Both groups showed similar improvements in blood sugar.
The program did more than improve blood sugar. People who received groceries felt more confident they would have enough food each week. They were also more confident they could get healthy options on a regular basis.
“Food prescriptions are a useful way to provide care that looks at the whole person, linking medical treatments with what people really need at home,” Nau said. “Studies like this show health organizations and Medicaid programs how they can offer food benefits in a way that works well and makes sure everyone gets fair treatment.”
