Research shows that Americans struggling with nutrition insecurity face an average of 7.8 different barriers to eating healthy—nearly double the 4.4 barriers faced by those with good nutrition security. According to Gram Research analysis of a 2026 study of 3,000 Americans, each additional barrier increases the risk of diabetes by 10%, heart disease by 16%, and obesity by 9%. These barriers—including lack of time, transportation, money, and knowledge about food assistance—hit different communities harder, with Black Americans facing more transportation obstacles and Hispanic/Latinx Americans struggling more with accessing nutrition programs.
A major study of 3,000 Americans found that people face an average of 7.8 different obstacles to eating nutritious food—from lack of time to shop and cook, to not having transportation to grocery stores, to not knowing how to use food assistance programs. According to Gram Research analysis, these barriers hit different communities harder: Black Americans face more transportation challenges, while Hispanic/Latinx Americans struggle more with accessing nutrition assistance. The research shows that each additional barrier someone faces increases their risk of developing serious health problems like diabetes, heart disease, and obesity.
Key Statistics
A 2026 cross-sectional study of 3,000 American adults published in JAMA Network Open found that people with nutrition insecurity reported facing an average of 7.8 barriers to healthy eating, compared to just 4.4 barriers among those with nutrition security.
Research shows that each additional barrier to healthy eating increased the risk of heart disease by 16% and diabetes by 10% among Americans with nutrition security, according to a 2026 study of 3,000 adults.
Black Americans were 56% more likely to face transportation barriers to healthy eating than White Americans, while Hispanic/Latinx Americans were 65% more likely to struggle with nutrition assistance barriers, according to a 2026 study of 3,000 US adults.
A 2026 analysis of 3,000 Americans found that barriers to nutrition security cluster into two main groups: practical obstacles (time, transportation, cost) and knowledge/access barriers (understanding food assistance programs), which together explain 61% of why people struggle to eat healthy.
The Quick Take
- What they studied: What stops Americans from eating healthy food and how these obstacles connect to serious diseases like diabetes and heart disease
- Who participated: 3,000 English-speaking American adults aged 18 and older surveyed online between February and April 2023. About half were women, and two-thirds were between 18 and 49 years old. The study intentionally included more people earning less than $50,000 per year to understand challenges faced by lower-income Americans.
- Key finding: People with nutrition insecurity reported facing an average of 7.8 different barriers to healthy eating, compared to just 4.4 barriers for those with good nutrition security. Each additional barrier increased the risk of diabetes by 10%, heart disease by 16%, and obesity by 9%.
- What it means for you: If you struggle to eat healthy, you’re not alone—and it’s likely not just one problem. Most people face multiple obstacles working together. Understanding which barriers affect you most can help you and your doctor develop realistic solutions. This is especially important if you have or are at risk for diabetes, heart disease, or obesity.
The Research Details
Researchers surveyed 3,000 American adults online between February and April 2023, asking detailed questions about what stops them from eating nutritious food. They used a tool called the Nutrition Security Screener to measure both how secure people felt about accessing healthy food and what specific barriers they faced. The survey also collected information about participants’ age, race, ethnicity, income, education, and whether they had any major health conditions like diabetes, heart disease, or high blood pressure.
The researchers then analyzed the data to see which barriers were most common, how they connected to each other, and whether they were linked to health problems. They looked separately at people who had good nutrition security (reliable access to healthy food) versus those who didn’t, because barriers might affect these groups differently. They also examined whether certain racial and ethnic groups faced different obstacles.
Understanding the specific barriers people face is crucial for creating real solutions. If doctors and policymakers only know that ‘people don’t eat healthy,’ they can’t help effectively. But if they know that transportation is a major barrier for Black Americans or that understanding food assistance programs is hard for Hispanic/Latinx Americans, they can design targeted programs that actually work. This study provides that detailed roadmap.
This study was published in JAMA Network Open, a highly respected medical journal. The researchers surveyed a large, diverse group of 3,000 people and intentionally included more lower-income participants to capture their experiences. They used a validated screening tool designed specifically to measure nutrition security. However, because this is a cross-sectional study (a snapshot in time rather than following people over months or years), it shows which barriers and health problems exist together but can’t prove that barriers directly cause disease. The study also only included English-speaking adults, so it may not capture experiences of non-English speakers.
What the Results Show
The study found that barriers to healthy eating cluster into two main groups. The first group involves practical obstacles like not having enough time to shop and cook, not having transportation to stores, and not being able to afford healthy food. The second group involves knowledge and access barriers like not understanding how to use food assistance programs and not knowing what healthy food choices are.
People with nutrition insecurity (those who struggle to reliably access healthy food) reported facing nearly twice as many barriers as those with nutrition security—7.8 barriers on average compared to 4.4. Importantly, these barriers don’t work in isolation; they’re interconnected. For example, someone without transportation might also lack time to cook because they’re working multiple jobs to afford food.
The research revealed significant racial and ethnic disparities. Black Americans were 56% more likely to face transportation barriers than White Americans. Hispanic/Latinx Americans were 65% more likely to struggle with nutrition assistance barriers (like understanding food stamps or other programs) compared to non-Hispanic/Latinx Americans. These disparities suggest that different communities need different solutions.
Each additional barrier someone faced increased their risk of serious health conditions. Among people with good nutrition security, each extra barrier raised the risk of diabetes by 10%, heart disease by 16%, and obesity by 9%. Among people with poor nutrition security, each additional barrier increased the risk of heart disease by 12% and stroke by 12%. Interestingly, the connection between barriers and disease was sometimes stronger in people who already had nutrition security, suggesting that even people with relatively stable food access still suffer health consequences when they face multiple obstacles to eating well.
This research builds on growing recognition that nutrition security—reliable access to healthy, affordable food—is a major health issue that hasn’t received enough attention. Previous studies have looked at individual barriers like food cost or food deserts (neighborhoods without grocery stores), but this is one of the first large studies to examine how multiple barriers work together and how they affect different communities differently. The finding that barriers cluster into two main groups (practical obstacles and knowledge/access barriers) provides a new framework for understanding and addressing nutrition insecurity.
This study has several important limitations. First, it’s a snapshot—researchers surveyed people once and asked about barriers at that moment, so they can’t prove that barriers cause disease; they only show that barriers and disease exist together. Second, the study only included English-speaking adults, so it misses the experiences of immigrants and others who speak other languages at home. Third, participants self-reported their health conditions and barriers, which means some people might have misremembered or been uncomfortable sharing certain information. Finally, the study was conducted online through a panel service, which may have excluded people without internet access or those less comfortable with technology.
The Bottom Line
If you struggle to eat healthy, start by identifying which barriers affect you most. Are you short on time? Lacking transportation? Unsure how to use food assistance? Not sure what healthy choices are? Once you know your main barriers, you can tackle them one at a time. For time barriers, consider meal prep on weekends or using delivery services. For transportation, ask about community programs that bring groceries to neighborhoods or connect you with stores. For assistance programs, contact your local health department or call 211 to find free help understanding what you qualify for. These recommendations are based on strong evidence that addressing barriers reduces disease risk.
Everyone should care about this research, but it’s especially important for people with diabetes, heart disease, obesity, or high blood pressure—or those at risk for these conditions. If you earn less than $50,000 per year, face transportation challenges, or struggle to understand food assistance programs, this research directly applies to you. Healthcare providers, public health officials, and policymakers should use these findings to create more targeted programs that address specific barriers in specific communities rather than one-size-fits-all solutions.
Removing barriers to healthy eating doesn’t produce overnight results, but research suggests you can see improvements in blood sugar control, cholesterol, and weight within 3-6 months of consistently eating better. However, the real benefit comes from sustained change over years, which reduces your long-term risk of heart disease, stroke, and other serious conditions. Start with one barrier and give yourself at least 4-6 weeks to adjust before tackling the next one.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the main reasons Americans can’t eat healthy?
Research identifies two main barrier groups: practical obstacles like lack of time to shop and cook, no transportation to stores, and inability to afford healthy food; and knowledge barriers like not understanding food assistance programs or what healthy choices are. Most people face multiple barriers working together.
Do barriers to healthy eating actually cause disease?
Research shows strong connections: each additional barrier increases diabetes risk by 10%, heart disease by 16%, and obesity by 9%. While this study can’t prove barriers directly cause disease, the consistent pattern across thousands of people suggests barriers significantly contribute to health problems.
Which communities face the biggest barriers to nutrition?
Black Americans face significantly more transportation barriers, while Hispanic/Latinx Americans struggle more with accessing and understanding nutrition assistance programs. Lower-income Americans overall face more barriers than higher-income groups, creating health disparities.
How can I overcome barriers to eating healthy?
Identify your biggest barriers first—is it time, transportation, cost, or knowledge? Then tackle one at a time: try meal prep for time issues, research delivery services for transportation, explore food assistance programs for cost, or use apps and resources to learn about healthy choices.
Does removing barriers actually improve health?
Research suggests improvements in blood sugar, cholesterol, and weight can appear within 3-6 months of consistently eating better after barriers are removed. Long-term benefits include reduced risk of heart disease, stroke, and diabetes over years of sustained healthy eating.
Want to Apply This Research?
- Use the app to log which barriers you face each day (time, transportation, cost, knowledge, motivation) and rate how much each one prevented you from eating healthy on a scale of 1-10. Track this weekly to see which barriers are your biggest challenges and whether they change over time.
- Set one specific, achievable goal based on your biggest barrier. If time is your issue, schedule 2 hours on Sunday for meal prep. If transportation is the problem, research delivery services or community programs in your area and log them in the app. If cost is the barrier, use the app to find and track local food assistance programs. If knowledge is the issue, use the app to save healthy recipes and nutrition tips you can reference while shopping.
- Check in weekly with your app to see which barriers are still blocking you and celebrate small wins. After 4 weeks, review your data to see if your top barriers have changed or if you’ve made progress on one. Adjust your strategy based on what’s working. Share your barrier list with your doctor at your next appointment so they can help you problem-solve.
This research identifies associations between barriers to nutrition and health conditions but cannot prove that barriers directly cause disease. If you have diabetes, heart disease, obesity, high blood pressure, or other health conditions, work with your healthcare provider to develop a personalized nutrition plan that addresses your specific barriers and health needs. This article is for educational purposes and should not replace professional medical advice. Always consult your doctor before making significant changes to your diet or health routine, especially if you take medications or have existing health conditions.
This research translation is published by Gram Research, the science division of Gram, an AI-powered nutrition tracking app.