Case Study: A Recipe for Lower A1C

UCI Health Study Shows Fruit & Vegetable Prescriptions Improve A1C in Diabetic Adults

By the numbers

38M

Americans Affected by Diabetes

$413B

Annual Cost to U.S. Healthcare

100

BASIS POINTS Reduction in A1C

$1500

Est. Annual Savings Per Patient

Challenge

Many adults with diabetes or prediabetes experience poor glycemic control due to limited access to fresh fruits and vegetables, nutrition education, and food insecurity.

Results

A physician-supported produce prescription and delivery program yielded a mean 1-point reduction of A1C from a baseline of 8.5%, with significant improvements in dietary intake and patient engagement.

Who Should Hear About This

Medical Practitioners, Managed Care Providers, Diabetes Patients

Executive Summary

Project FoodBox partnered with UCI Health to launch a culturally tailored Food as Medicine initiative serving Latino adults with uncontrolled diabetes. The program addressed barriers to glycemic control, including limited produce access and nutrition knowledge, through weekly fresh produce delivery and diabetes education over eight weeks.
Diabetes affects 38 million Americans, with nearly 100 million more at risk, costing the healthcare system $413 billion annually. Participants achieved a clinically significant average A1C reduction from 8.5% to 7.5%, meeting diabetes care guidelines. The intervention also resulted in improved fruit and vegetable intake and reduced risk of diabetes-related complications by 40%, supporting better long-term health. Annual savings are estimated at $1,500 per patient, plus further savings from avoided complications.
Enhanced patient engagement stemmed from the accessible, culturally relevant approach. This pilot demonstrates potential for scale and adaptation to diverse populations and care settings. Nutrition-based interventions like this program align with population health and value-based care priorities, delivering improved health outcomes and lower costs.

U.S. Annual Spending By Chronic Condition-1

Problem

Diabetes affects over 38 million Americans, with an additional 98 million living with prediabetes. The condition costs the U.S. healthcare system approximately $413 billion annually, accounting for 1 in every 4 healthcare dollars. Complications such as heart disease and stroke contribute to nearly half of these costs.

Approach

Produce prescription programs have been shown to increase intake by nearly one serving per day and drive mean A1C reductions of approximately 0.7–0.8 percentage points—with associated decreases in BMI and improvements in cardiovascular health markers.

This initiative was designed to study the feasibility and acceptability of integrating fresh produce prescriptions and delivery into community health programming for adults living with or at risk for diabetes. The goal was to strengthen understanding of how food access interventions could support clinical and lifestyle outcomes relevant to chronic disease prevention.

Based on published estimates, improved A1C control can save approximately $1,500 per patient annually, while reducing complication risk can save an additional $2,500 per patient.

Impact

The pilot program demonstrated a significant improvement in glycemic control among participants. Patients achieved an average A1C reduction of 100 basis points, from 8.5% to 7.5%. This improvement is clinically meaningful and aligns with ADA guidelines for diabetes management. Additionally, the program showed a 40% reduction in complication risk and increased member engagement.

The success of this pilot reinforces the scalability of nutrition-based interventions. The model is replicable across diverse populations and care settings and aligns with value-based care and population health goals. It is culturally tailored and can be built on with additional educational components to enhance impact and improve patient outcomes while reducing healthcare costs.

References/Footnotes

https://www.ucihealth.org/about-us/news/2025/04/diabetes-group-medical-visits