Food as medicine: a quasi-randomized control trial of two healthy food interventions for chronic disease management among ambulatory patients at an urban academic center.

Background: Globally, poor nutrition is a driver of many chronic diseases and is responsible for more deaths than any other risk factor. Accordingly, there is growing interest in the direct provision of healthy foods to patients to tackle diet-linked chronic diseases and mortality.

Aim: To assess the effect of two healthy food interventions in conjunction with nutrition counseling and education on select chronic disease markers, food insecurity, diet quality, depression, and on self-efficacy for healthy eating, healthy weight, and chronic disease management.