Abbott Study Shows Food Delivery Programs Can Improve Diabetes Management

Abbott's food-as-medicine approach is proving effective in real-world diabetes management. A new randomized controlled trial involving 364 people with diabetes shows that home-delivered healthy food boxes combined with nutrition education can significantly improve both diet quality and health outcomes for participants.

The six-month study examined Abbott's Healthy Food Rx program, which targets food-insecure, low-income communities where diabetes management faces additional challenges. Participants received regular deliveries of healthy food along with educational resources designed to help them make better nutritional choices for managing their condition.

The results were notable across multiple health markers. Participants showed measurable improvements in diet quality, eating more fruits and vegetables compared to the control group. They also reported feeling healthier overall and experienced an average drop of 0.7% in their A1C levels, a key indicator of long-term blood sugar control.

The A1C reduction is particularly significant for diabetes management. Even modest improvements in A1C levels are associated with better health outcomes and reduced risk of diabetes-related complications over time. The study's findings suggest that addressing food access barriers can have direct clinical benefits.

Participant satisfaction with the program was exceptionally high, with 98% reporting satisfaction and 99% saying they would recommend it to others. This suggests the program design resonated with participants and could be sustainable at scale.

"Living with diabetes in an economically underserved community can present numerous challenges, from limited access to affordable, healthy foods to a lack of appropriate health services," said Erika Takada, Executive Director at the Public Health Institute Center for Wellness and Nutrition. "Even with a programme that reaches participants just twice a month, we are seeing benefits in people with diabetes eating better foods and feeling healthier."

The study, presented at the American Diabetes Association's Scientific Session, adds to growing evidence that food-as-medicine programs can be effective interventions for chronic disease management. The approach addresses a fundamental barrier to diabetes care by ensuring patients have consistent access to appropriate foods rather than relying solely on education or medication management.

The program's structure delivers food boxes twice monthly, making it less intensive than daily meal delivery services while still showing measurable impact. This frequency could make similar programs more cost-effective and scalable for healthcare systems and insurers considering food-as-medicine interventions.

The research comes as healthcare providers and policymakers increasingly recognize nutrition's role as a cornerstone of chronic disease management. The results suggest that relatively simple interventions addressing food access can produce meaningful clinical improvements when combined with appropriate education and support.