Adults who picked up free, dietitian-designed plant-based groceries every week at a Massachusetts community health center for close to three years saw their blood pressure and weight drop as the packages added up. The findings come from 68 patients at the Mass General Brigham Revere Community Health Center food pantry, published October 1 in the CDC’s journal Preventing Chronic Disease.
The results matter for the millions of Americans who struggle to afford healthy food while managing high blood pressure. Nearly half of U.S. adults, 48.1%, have high blood pressure, and only about 22.5% have it under control, according to CDC data from 2017 to March 2020. Most patients in the Revere study had public insurance, which places the research squarely in the debate over whether Medicaid and other payers should cover groceries as health care.
The key limitation is up front. This was a small observational study with no comparison group, so it shows an association between receiving more food packages and better readings. It does not prove the groceries caused the changes.
Inside the Revere Pantry’s Weekly Grocery Boxes
The pantry operates inside the health center in Revere, just north of Boston. Each weekly package contained fresh fruits and vegetables, canned beans or nut butter, and whole grains, selected by a dietitian using the 2020 USDA Dietary Guidelines. Each box was meant to provide three meals a day for seven days for every person in the household.
Mass General Brigham’s food insecurity screening page says the pantry provides free plant-based food weekly but accepts new referrals only if space allows, citing “extraordinary demand.” Households receive 20 to 60 pounds of food each week, depending on family size, according to the health system.
The food came from the Greater Boston Food Bank, Fresh Food Generation and Boston Area Gleaners. The Greater Boston Food Bank alone had provided nearly 379,000 pounds of food to the center so far this year, according to Mass General Brigham.
To be included in the analysis, nonpregnant adults had to receive at least 26 packages between December 2019 and April 2025 and have blood pressure, weight, or blood sugar measured before and after starting. Participants averaged 57 years old, nearly 70% were women, and about 37% were Hispanic or Latino. On average, they received about 98 packages over 2.7 years.
Blood Pressure and Weight Results, Package by Package
The researchers measured change for every 100 packages received, which is roughly two years of weekly pickups. Per 100 packages, diastolic blood pressure, the bottom number, fell by 3.21 mm Hg. Weight dropped by 2.63 kilograms, or about 5.8 pounds, and body mass index declined by 1.04 points.
The changes were larger among people who started with higher readings. Patients with a baseline systolic pressure of 130 or above saw that top number fall by 5.83 mm Hg per 100 packages, while those with a starting diastolic pressure of 80 or higher saw a 6.23 mm Hg decline. Across the full group, however, the drop in systolic pressure was not statistically significant.
Blood sugar did not budge. Hemoglobin A1c, a three-month average used to track diabetes, showed no meaningful change.
“This paper has the potential to change the conversation about Food Is Medicine interventions,” Dr. Jacob Mirsky, the study’s first author and medical director for the food pantry, said in a statement reported by News-Medical.
Senior author Dr. Lauren Fiechtner, who also advises the Greater Boston Food Bank, said “plant-based food interventions are promising” and that future efforts should focus on longer duration, as reported by Medical Economics. The publication noted that many earlier studies were small, short, or lacked comparison groups.
A Small Study Without a Comparison Group
The study was a retrospective analysis of existing health records, not a randomized trial. The authors acknowledged that it lacked a control group and relied on blood pressure readings taken during routine office visits, which can be inconsistent. They also did not account for factors such as housing, employment or ongoing food insecurity, and the packages were not individually tailored despite the “medically tailored” label.
The authors cautioned that results may not apply outside community health centers with extensive support services.
The work was funded by a Massachusetts General Hospital Claflin Distinguished Scholar Award, the Vitamix Foundation, the Ardmore Foundation and the National Institutes of Health. The authors declared no conflicts of interest.
Food Insecurity, MassHealth and Access Beyond Boston
The study arrives as states test whether Medicaid can pay for food. Massachusetts began offering nutrition services through MassHealth in 2020 via Accountable Care Organizations that partner with community groups. A UMass Chan Medical School evaluation released by Massachusetts officials found participation was associated with 23% fewer hospitalizations and 13% fewer emergency visits.
The Revere findings add a different piece: what happens to blood pressure and weight when food help lasts years rather than months. Access remains limited, though, and the Revere pantry itself caps referrals.
People who worry about running out of food can ask their primary care team whether the practice screens for food insecurity and can connect them with SNAP, WIC or local food banks. MassHealth members can ask their health plan whether nutrition services are available. Anyone managing high blood pressure should keep taking prescribed medication and talk with a qualified clinician before making changes, even if diet improves.
Warning signs such as severe headache, chest pain, shortness of breath or sudden vision changes alongside high readings require urgent medical care.
The next step, according to the authors, is a randomized trial with more precise measurements. Medical Economics noted that researchers still need longer trials measuring hard clinical outcomes to show value to payers before coverage expands.
For now, the Revere study offers an encouraging but early signal. Steady access to healthy food was linked to modest blood pressure and weight improvements, especially for patients who started with higher readings. It does not show that groceries can replace medical treatment.
Key Questions Answered
What did the Massachusetts food pantry study find?
Among 68 adults at the Mass General Brigham Revere Community Health Center, every 100 weekly plant-based grocery packages were linked to a 3.21 mm Hg drop in diastolic blood pressure and about 2.6 kilograms of weight loss. Blood sugar levels did not change significantly.
Who received the free groceries?
Participants were nonpregnant adult patients of the health center’s food pantry who received at least 26 packages between December 2019 and April 2025. Most had public insurance, and the average age was about 57.
Does this prove plant-based groceries lower blood pressure?
No. The study was small, observational and had no comparison group. It shows an association, and other factors may have contributed.
Who seemed to benefit most?
Patients who started with higher blood pressure saw larger declines. Those with a starting systolic reading of 130 or higher saw a 5.83 mm Hg drop per 100 packages.
Can I get free groceries through my doctor?
Some health systems screen patients for food insecurity and refer them to food programs, SNAP, or WIC. The Revere pantry accepts new referrals only when space allows, so ask your primary care team what options exist locally.
Does Medicaid pay for food?
In Massachusetts, MassHealth has offered nutrition services through Accountable Care Organizations since 2020. Coverage varies by state and plan, so members should check with their health plan.
Should I stop blood pressure medication if I eat more plant-based foods?
No. Do not stop or change prescribed medication without speaking with a qualified clinician, even if your diet improves.
Published by Medicaldaily.com
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