Researchers tested whether giving people with diabetes free healthy groceries plus help from a community health worker could improve their blood sugar control. Thirty-one people with type 2 diabetes and limited food access received weekly deliveries of fresh produce and shelf-stable foods for 12 weeks. Half also got personalized nutrition coaching and cooking lessons from a community health worker. After six months, people who received both groceries and coaching showed meaningful improvements in their blood sugar levels, while those who only got groceries didn’t see the same benefits. The study suggests that combining food assistance with personal guidance may be more effective than food alone.

The Quick Take

  • What they studied: Whether providing free healthy groceries combined with nutrition coaching from a community health worker could help people with type 2 diabetes improve their blood sugar control
  • Who participated: 31 adults (average age 58) with type 2 diabetes who reported struggling to afford food. Most were women (84%), and the group included Black, White, and Hispanic participants
  • Key finding: People who received groceries plus coaching had their blood sugar levels drop by an average of 1.65 points after six months (a meaningful improvement), while those who only received groceries saw no significant change
  • What it means for you: If you have diabetes and struggle to buy healthy food, getting both free groceries and personalized coaching from someone trained in nutrition may help you control your blood sugar better than groceries alone. However, this is a small pilot study, so more research is needed before drawing firm conclusions

The Research Details

This was a pilot randomized controlled trial, which means researchers randomly assigned people to two groups to compare different approaches. One group received 12 weekly deliveries of fresh produce and shelf-stable foods (like canned beans and whole grains). The other group received the same groceries plus 12 weeks of personalized support from a community health worker—someone trained to help with nutrition education, cooking instruction, and connecting people to community resources.

Participants checked their own blood sugar levels (hemoglobin A1C), blood pressure, and weight at home using simple devices at the start, after three months, and after six months. This self-monitoring approach made it practical for people to participate without frequent clinic visits.

The study was small and preliminary in nature, designed to test whether this approach was feasible and showed promise before conducting a larger study.

This research design is important because it tests a real-world solution to a common problem: people with diabetes who can’t afford healthy food often struggle to control their blood sugar. By randomly assigning people to different groups, researchers could fairly compare whether the added coaching made a difference beyond just providing groceries. Testing this in people’s homes with self-monitoring reflects how the program would actually work in real life.

This is a small pilot study with only 31 participants, so results should be viewed as promising but not definitive. The study was published in a peer-reviewed journal (BMC Public Health), which means other experts reviewed it before publication. However, the small size means results could change with a larger group. The study was retrospectively registered (registered after it started), which is less ideal than registering before starting. The fact that 84% of participants were women means results may not apply equally to men. Despite these limitations, the study provides useful preliminary evidence that warrants further investigation.

What the Results Show

The most important finding was the difference between the two groups in blood sugar control. People in the Food + CHW group (those who got groceries plus coaching) had their hemoglobin A1C drop by an average of 0.85 points after three months and 1.65 points after six months. In medical terms, this is a meaningful improvement—most of the people in this group (81%) showed improvement by six months.

In contrast, people who only received groceries (the Food-only group) showed no significant change in their blood sugar levels at either time point. This suggests that the groceries alone weren’t enough; the coaching and support made the crucial difference.

Blood pressure results were also interesting. The Food-only group’s diastolic blood pressure (the bottom number) increased by an average of 6.5 points after three months, which could be concerning. However, the Food + CHW group’s blood pressure remained stable, suggesting the coaching may have helped prevent this increase.

Weight didn’t change significantly in either group over the six-month period.

Beyond blood sugar and blood pressure, researchers tracked changes in eating habits. People in the Food + CHW group reported eating more fruits daily, reading nutrition labels more often, cooking more meals from scratch, and shopping at farmer’s markets more frequently. These behavior changes are important because they show that the coaching actually changed how people eat—which explains why their blood sugar improved. The Food-only group didn’t report these same behavior changes, suggesting that just having access to healthy food isn’t enough without guidance on how to use it.

Previous research has shown that food insecurity (not having reliable access to enough food) is linked to worse diabetes control and other health problems. This study builds on that knowledge by testing whether combining food assistance with personalized coaching could address both the food access problem and the knowledge gap. The finding that coaching matters aligns with other research showing that nutrition education and support help people make lasting dietary changes. However, this is one of the first studies to specifically test this combination approach in people with both diabetes and food insecurity.

This study has several important limitations to consider. First, it’s very small with only 31 people, so results might not hold up in a larger group. Second, most participants were women, so we don’t know if men would see the same benefits. Third, people self-monitored their blood sugar and other measurements at home rather than having them checked by healthcare providers, which could introduce some measurement errors. Fourth, the study only lasted six months, so we don’t know if benefits continue longer. Finally, the study was done in one location with a specific population, so results may not apply everywhere. The researchers themselves note this is a pilot study meant to test feasibility before conducting a larger, more rigorous trial.

The Bottom Line

If you have type 2 diabetes and struggle to afford healthy food, this research suggests that programs combining free groceries with personalized nutrition coaching and cooking support may help improve your blood sugar control. However, this is preliminary evidence from a small study, so discuss with your doctor whether such a program might be right for you. Look for programs in your community that offer both food assistance and nutrition education—the combination appears more effective than either alone. Confidence level: Moderate (promising pilot results, but larger studies needed)

This research is most relevant for people with type 2 diabetes who report food insecurity or difficulty affording healthy groceries. It may also interest healthcare providers, public health officials, and policymakers looking for ways to help patients manage diabetes better. Community health workers and nutrition educators may find this approach worth implementing. People with well-controlled diabetes or those without food access challenges may not see the same benefits. This research doesn’t apply to people with type 1 diabetes, which requires insulin and has different management needs.

Based on this study, you might expect to see meaningful improvements in blood sugar control within three to six months if you participate in a program combining groceries and coaching. However, individual results vary—some people may see changes sooner, while others may take longer. The study showed that benefits appeared to continue or even improve from three to six months, suggesting that sustained participation in the program is important.

Want to Apply This Research?

  • Track your hemoglobin A1C levels every three months (ask your doctor for this blood test), and log your daily fruit and vegetable servings. Also note how many meals you cook from scratch each week. These three metrics directly reflect what improved in the study.
  • Use the app to set a weekly goal for cooking meals from scratch (start with 2-3 meals per week), track your farmer’s market visits, and log when you read nutrition labels on packaged foods. These specific behaviors changed in the successful group and directly support better blood sugar control.
  • Set up monthly check-ins to review your blood sugar trends, eating patterns, and cooking frequency. Create reminders for quarterly A1C blood tests with your doctor. Track whether you’re maintaining the behavior changes (cooking from scratch, reading labels, eating more fruits) as these are the mechanisms that led to improvement in the study.

This research is a small pilot study and should not replace medical advice from your healthcare provider. If you have type 2 diabetes, always consult with your doctor before making significant dietary changes or starting a new program. Blood sugar management requires individualized care based on your specific health situation, medications, and medical history. This study shows promise but is not definitive proof that all people with diabetes will benefit equally. Results may vary based on individual circumstances, and more research is needed to confirm these findings in larger, more diverse populations.