Food Is Medicine Field Accelerates with Landmark Research and Investment

The emerging public health field of food is medicine (FIM) experienced a rapid acceleration in research and public policy progress, according to a new report from the American Heart Association's Health Care by Food initiative. The annual report, Advances in the Food Is Medicine Field 2026, reviewed 57 research studies published between July 2025 and June 2026, representing a 68% increase from the previous year. Notably, the number of randomized controlled trials—considered the gold standard in medical research—quadrupled in just one year.

This surge in evidence is driving significant government investment. Sixteen states now have approved or are considering Medicaid waivers to support food is medicine programs, and six states are using Medicaid managed care in lieu of services authority to provide FIM services. At the federal level, policymakers increased food is medicine funding by $24 million in the FY2026 spending bill, a more than fourfold increase since FY2024.

The report cites state Medicaid evaluations showing that FIM programs were associated with lower hospitalization and inpatient service use, lower emergency department use, and reductions in healthcare costs. These findings suggest that healthcare-integrated nutrition interventions can improve health outcomes cost-effectively, a critical consideration as healthcare spending continues to rise.

"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."

Among the report's most significant findings, medically tailored meals (MTMs) and medically tailored groceries (MTGs) showed particularly promising results. Researchers found growing evidence that these interventions can improve blood pressure, hemoglobin A1c, and other cardiometabolic risk factors, with stronger signals when paired with nutrition counseling, community health worker support, or other complementary services.

"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 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."

The report also highlights that successful programs often go beyond providing food. The strongest outcomes were seen when food support was combined with services such as nutrition counseling, diabetes self-management education, motivational interviewing, community health worker support, and care navigation. Participant preferences, cultural relevance, convenience, and flexibility play critical roles in program engagement and effectiveness, leading to more personalized care models.

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

For Texas, these developments could have significant implications. As a large state with diverse populations and high rates of diet-related chronic diseases, Texas could benefit from expanded food is medicine programs. The increase in federal funding and state Medicaid flexibility may open opportunities for Texas healthcare providers, community organizations, and food producers to collaborate on innovative programs. The report's findings could also spur local research and investment, positioning Texas as a leader in this emerging field.

"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 launched the Health Care by Food initiative in 2023 to integrate evidence-based nutrition interventions into healthcare systems. As the evidence base grows, the potential for food is medicine to transform healthcare and improve public health becomes increasingly clear.