Food Insecurity-Related Health Outcomes: How Can Medically Tailored Meals Help?

Key Takeaways	Explanation
Medically tailored meals improve health outcomes	Patients receiving these meals see significant reductions in symptoms and hospital visits.
Cost-effective healthcare solution	Providing these meals reduces monthly healthcare costs significantly.
Enhances dietary adherence	Patients are more likely to follow dietary guidelines when meals meet their medical needs.
Reduces hospital readmissions	A notable decrease in readmission rates, enhancing patient recovery and reducing costs.
Increases patient satisfaction	The majority of recipients report better overall health and satisfaction with their care.

It is widely accepted that an overall healthy dietary pattern is associated with improved health, including lower rates of all-cause mortality, cardiovascular disease, overweight and obesity, type 2 diabetes, breast and colorectal cancers, and improved bone health.¹ Food security – the ability to access enough food to lead an active, healthy life – is foundational to having a healthy diet.² Yet, 12.8% of US households and 39% of adults in California are facing food insecurity.^3,4 Food insecurity has clear and measurable impacts on health. Those experiencing food insecurity tend to consume fewer fruits and vegetables and are 2-3x more likely to have diabetes.^5,6 The stakes are high – it is estimated that 600,000 Americans die each year due to diet-related diseases such as diabetes, obesity, and heart disease.²

However, addressing food insecurity alone is not enough. In recent years, nutrition security has become an ever-increasing focus in the conversation surrounding food access and health. While food security addresses having enough food to meet basic nutrition needs, nutrition security addresses food quality. Nutrition security is the ability to access healthy, safe, affordable foods for optimal health and well-being.²A 2022 USC study found that nutrition security was a stronger predictor of type 2 diabetes than food insecurity, and that both food and nutrition insecurity independently predicted poor mental health.⁷ Therefore, interventions that seek to improve diet-related health outcomes must focus on providing sufficient nutrient-dense, health-promoting foods.

Medically tailored meals (MTMs) are ready-made, frozen meals developed to comply with the nutrition guidelines for common chronic conditions and shipped right to the customer’s door. In California, Medi-Cal covers MTMs for eligible individuals at no additional cost. Although large-scale structural change is needed to address the root causes of food and nutrition insecurity, MTMs provide a steady and reliable source of nutritious meals to those with chronic health conditions, who often are more vulnerable to food insecurity.² They remove the guesswork from following condition-specific nutrition guidelines and make it simpler to manage multiple chronic conditions with diet. MTMs have shown promise in supporting food access and improving nutrition habits among recipients. One study found that MTMs reduced food insecurity by 20%, and led to decreased consumption of solid fat, alcohol, and added sugar and increased consumption of health-promoting foods such as fresh produce.⁸ MTMs have also been shown to improve health outcomes and health outlook. For example, one study found that MTMs lead to a 17% reduction in those with poor diabetes control.⁹ Another found that among HIV patients, antiretroviral therapy adherence increased from 47% to 70%, and that those with type 2 diabetes reported improved diabetes self-management.¹⁰

Roots’ MTM program provides two meals a day (breakfast and an entrée) for 12 weeks, with the option to renew. Roots meals are designed to provide nutritional support many major chronic illnesses, including heart disease, diabetes, hypertension, high cholesterol, chronic lung disease, kidney disease, low vision/blindness, disabilities, HIV, congestive heart failure, mental/behavioral disorders, and gestational diabetes. Registered Dietitians (RDs) also complete nutrition assessments and nutrition counseling to provide individualized nutrition education. In the near future, Roots will launch grocery boxes as an alternative to the meal program, which will contain both fresh produce and non-perishable items. The meal and grocery box bundles have the same eligibility criteria.

To be eligible to receive Roots meals, you must have Medi-Cal and have a chronic condition. Those on Medi-Cal who were recently discharged from a hospital or skilled nursing facility may also be eligible. There are no age restrictions; children who meet the eligibility criteria can also receive meals. Customers can also be simultaneously enrolled in non-medical food assistance programs such as WIC and CalFresh.

References:

Access to Foods That Support Healthy Dietary Patterns - Healthy People 2030 | health.gov. health.gov. Published 2020. https://health.gov/healthypeople/priority-areas/social-determinants-health/literature-summaries/access-foods-support-healthy-dietary-patterns

Nutrition Security. www.usda.gov. https://www.usda.gov/nutrition-security

Rabbitt MP, Hales LJ, Burke MP, Coleman-Jensen A. Household Food Security in the United States in 2022. www.ers.usda.gov. Published October 2023. https://www.ers.usda.gov/publications/pub-details/?pubid=107702

‌Hunger Data & Research - California Association of Food Banks. https://www.cafoodbanks.org/. Published 2023. https://www.cafoodbanks.org/hunger-data-reports/

CDC. Diabetes and Food Insecurity. Diabetes. Published June 5, 2024. https://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/healthy-eating/diabetes-food-insecurity.html

Ranjit N, Macias S, Hoelscher D. Factors related to poor diet quality in food insecure populations. Translational Behavioral Medicine. 2020;10(6):1297-1305. doi:https://doi.org/10.1093/tbm/ibaa028

Livings MS, Bruine de Bruin W, Wasim N, Wilson JP, Lee BY, de la Haye K. Food and Nutrition Insecurity: Experiences That Differ for Some and Independently Predict Diet-Related Disease, Los Angeles County, 2022. J Nutr. Published online May 25, 2024. doi:10.1016/j.tjnut.2024.05.020

Berkowitz SA, Delahanty LM, Terranova J, et al. Medically Tailored Meal Delivery for Diabetes Patients with Food Insecurity: a Randomized Cross-over Trial. J Gen Intern Med. 2019;34(3):396-404. doi:10.1007/s11606-018-4716-z

Shan M, Gutman R, Dosa D, et al. A New Data Resource to Examine Meals on Wheels Clients' Health Care Utilization and Costs. Med Care. 2019;57(3):e15-e21. doi:10.1097/MLR.0000000000000951

Palar K, Napoles T, Hufstedler LL, et al. Comprehensive and Medically Appropriate Food Support Is Associated with Improved HIV and Diabetes Health. J Urban Health. 2017;94(1):87-99. doi:10.1007/s11524-016-0129-7

Frequently asked questions

What are medically tailored meals?

Medically tailored meals are customized based on specific health conditions to ensure optimal nutritional intake for managing illnesses such as diabetes, heart disease, or renal failure.

How do medically tailored meals help in managing chronic diseases?

These meals help manage symptoms and potentially reduce the severity of chronic diseases by providing nutrition that specifically addresses the dietary needs associated with different health conditions.

Can medically tailored meals reduce hospital readmissions?

Yes, studies show that patients receiving medically tailored meals experience a 50% reduction in hospital readmissions, indicating a direct impact on improving patient outcomes and reducing healthcare costs.

What impact do medically tailored meals have on healthcare costs?

Providing medically tailored meals can lead to significant reductions in healthcare costs, with patients seeing a decrease of about $220 per month on average.

Are there any studies that support the effectiveness of medically tailored meals?

Yes, multiple studies, including randomized controlled trials, have demonstrated the effectiveness of medically tailored meals in improving health outcomes and reducing overall healthcare expenditures.