A preliminary study presented today at the American Heart Association’s Scientific Sessions 2025 in New Orleans found that providing healthy, medically tailored meals or boxes of fresh produce alongside nutrition counseling from a dietitian led to improved quality of life for people with heart failure, compared to those who received dietary counseling without food deliveries. The research, funded by the American Heart Association’s Health Care by Food™ initiative, highlights the potential of food as a therapeutic intervention for chronic disease management.
The randomized trial included 150 adults enrolled within two weeks of discharge from the hospital for acute heart failure. Participants were assigned to one of three groups: one group received medically tailored meals and dietary counseling; the second group received fresh produce boxes and dietary counseling; and the third group received dietary counseling without food delivery. Those receiving food were further divided into conditional and unconditional subgroups based on medication pick-up and clinic attendance requirements. The food delivery programs lasted 90 days.
Key findings, measured using the Kansas City Cardiomyopathy Questionnaire, showed that participants in both food delivery groups reported higher quality of life compared to those receiving only dietary guidance. Notably, individuals in the conditional delivery groups—who were required to pick up prescriptions and attend follow-up appointments—reported even greater quality of life improvements than those in the unconditional delivery group. Additionally, participants who received fresh produce boxes expressed higher satisfaction than those who received prepared meals.
However, there were no significant differences in hospital readmissions or emergency department visits for heart failure between the food delivery groups and the counseling-only group. Over 90 days, there were 32 total readmissions or ED visits, with 18% of participants experiencing at least one event. Lead study author Ambarish Pandey, M.D., M.S., FAHA, an associate professor at UT Southwestern Medical Center, noted, “These findings indicate the potential for healthy foods to affect outcomes and disease progression for people with chronic conditions like heart failure. If we can identify the best strategy for providing access to healthy food, this could be transformative for people with heart failure who are particularly vulnerable after hospitalization.”
The study population had a median age of 60 years, with 39% women, 42% Black, 33% Hispanic, and 23% non-Hispanic white. Comorbidities were common: 95% had high blood pressure, 54% had Type 2 diabetes, and over half reported food insecurity (53%) and nutrition insecurity (55%). Additionally, 69% of participants reported inconsistent medication adherence. The research aligns with the American Heart Association’s 2025 Scientific Statement, Systematic Review of “Food Is Medicine” Randomized Controlled Trials for Noncommunicable Disease in U.S., which emphasized the potential of such programs to improve diet quality and food security.
Study limitations include its small size and short 90-day follow-up. Larger, longer-term trials are needed to assess impacts on hospitalizations and survival. Pandey and colleagues are planning a phase 3 trial with 1,200–1,500 participants across multiple hospitals. The findings were presented as a late-breaking science abstract and are considered preliminary until published in a peer-reviewed journal.
