Feasibility study of a screening decision tool for allocating adults into food is medicine programs as an effective approach to target clinical and dietary outcomes among rural and urban adults
Top Things to Know
Matching patients to the right type of nutrition intervention based on preferences and constraints can drive high participation and better clinical outcomes.
Even short-term FIM programs (3 months) can reduce blood pressure and improve diet quality, reinforcing food as a viable clinical tool for chronic disease management.
Grocery prescriptions and meal programs not only improve dietary intake but also reduce financial strain and increase access to healthy foods, addressing upstream drivers of diet-related disease.
Summary of Conclusion/Findings
This feasibility study evaluated a user-centered screening decision tool designed to match food-insecure adults with hypertension to appropriate Food is Medicine (FIM) interventions (medically tailored meals or grocery prescriptions) and found high feasibility, engagement, and acceptability. Among 159 enrolled participants, 95% completed the 3‑month program and 91% completed all study measures, with very high satisfaction (net promoter score 9.4/10). The tool demonstrated strong performance in matching participants to grocery prescription programs (94–97% match rate), though accuracy was lower for medically tailored meals (73–77%), highlighting areas for refinement. Clinically, participation in FIM programs was associated with significant reductions in systolic and diastolic blood pressure (particularly in grocery prescription groups and urban medically tailored meal participants) alongside improvements in dietary intake, general health, and financial strain. Participants also reported improved access to healthy foods, reduced food-related financial burden, and positive behavior changes such as healthier eating patterns. Overall, the study suggests that tailoring FIM interventions through a screening tool can enhance engagement and produce meaningful short-term improvements in diet and health, though larger controlled studies are needed to confirm effectiveness.