Research & Policy

Our clients tell us about the impact our meals make in their lives. And the research underscores their testimonials. Studies—our own and others—show that providing proper nutrition is linked to improved health outcomes and lower costs of care for people who are seriously ill.

a row of ladles in the Project Angel Heart kitchen

My doctor was concerned about my sodium levels. Since receiving Project Angel Heart meals, my bloodwork has come back perfect, and my feet and ankles aren’t swollen anymore. It’s really important to me to stay as healthy as possible so I can continue to live on my own.

-Stephanie, living with familia spastic paraplegia, which leads to paralysis

Health Care Cost Reductions Related to Medically Tailored Nutrition

In 2018, Project Angel Heart conducted a research study using medical claims data from the Colorado All Payer Claims Database to examine the health care costs of Project Angel Heart clients before, during, and after they received medically tailored meal deliveries. We saw that:

  • Project Angel Heart clients experienced a 13% reduction in hospital readmissions;
  • Clients living with COPD, CHF, and diabetes had medical costs decrease by an average of 24%.

Association of National Expansion of Insurance Coverage of Medically Tailored Meals with Estimated Hospitalizations and Health Care Expenditures in the US

In 2022, a study by Tufts University Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy found that if every eligible patient were able to access medically tailored meals, in just the first year, our country would realize 1.6 million avoided hospital visits and $14 billion in savings for our health care systems.

Food Is Medicine: Peer Reviewed Research in the U.S.

The Center for Health Law and Policy Innovation of Harvard Law School (CHLP) compiled a comprehensive overview of peer-reviewed research associated with Food is Medicine interventions.