Feeding America Report Bolsters ‘Food is Medicine’

[Viable Food News Desk]

Publisher: Food Bank News
Published: July 21, 2026
Source: Read at Food Bank News
Category: Research & Data

Feeding America's Food As Medicine 3.0 evaluation found that 21 food banks working with healthcare partners contributed to a 14% decrease in hospitalizations and an 11% decline in emergency room visits among food-insecure patients who received healthy food. The study also reported a 47% increase in food security, along with improved blood-sugar, cholesterol and body-mass index levels. During the three-year study, partners screened 1.45 million patients, and nearly 162,000 received healthy food. Of those served, 59% were new to the charitable food system. Elevance Health Foundation supported the work with a $14.1 million grant, and about one-third of the food banks provided nutrition education, which was consistently associated with improved health outcomes.

Why this matters: The findings suggest that healthcare partnerships can help food-access organizations reach patients who are new to charitable food. The article also identifies insurance reimbursement as a possible path to sustain and expand this work.

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