Health Care by Food™ Most Impactful Food Is Medicine Research Award
The Health Care by Food Most Impactful Food Is Medicine Research Award honors the most meritorious scientific publication in the food is medicine field between June 2024 and June 2025. This new annual award celebrates groundbreaking research that strengthens the evidence base for integrating healthy food into clinical care to treat, manage and prevent cardiovascular disease and other diet related chronic diseases.
2026 Winner
Pilot study of a heart-healthy food box intervention for Native Americans with uncontrolled hypertension: methods and results from the Chickasaw Healthy Eating Environments Research Study.
Taniguchi et al.
Honorable Mention:
This paper received the same initial review score as the winning paper and is recognized as an honorable mention following careful deliberation by the selection committee:
Medicaid Spending and Health-Related Social Needs in the North Carolina Healthy Opportunities Pilots Program
Berkowitz et al.
Award Presentation
The award was presented on the evening of Thursday, March 19th, 2026 at the American Heart Association’s EPI/Lifestyle Scientific Sessions 2026.
At the conference, the Heart Association is spotlighting Health Care by Food and the initiative’s focus on emerging food is medicine research, implementation science and clinical innovation.
Finalists
The following papers were recognized as top five finalists and are listed in alphabetical order.
Medicaid Nutrition Supports Associated With Reductions In Hospitalizations And ED Visits In Massachusetts, 2020–23
Hager et al.
Food as medicine, community as medicine: Mental health effects of a social care intervention
Thompson-Lastad et al.
Award Selection Committee
The Health Care by Food initiative would like to thank the 2026 Award Selection Committee:
John Lumpkin, MD, MPH, Chair
Justin Sydnor, PhD, Department Chari, Risk and Insurance, Wisconsin School of Business
Erika Hanson, JD, Clinical Instructor, Center for Health Law and Policy Innovation of Harvard Law School
Laurie Whitsel, PhD, Vice President of Policy Research, American Heart Association
Eduardo Sanchez, MD, MPH, FAHA, Chief Medical Officer for Prevention, American Heart Association