Culturally Tailored Food Interventions Shows Significant Hypertension Reduction

New research presented at the American College of Cardiology’s Annual Scientific Session reveals that Black and Hispanic adults with hypertension achieved significant blood pressure reductions through a culturally tailored food-based intervention. The pilot trial, conducted in Maryland communities with limited access to fresh produce, demonstrated that providing a combination of produce prescriptions, dietitian coaching, and artificial intelligence-optimized encouragement led to a systolic blood pressure drop of 6.8 mm Hg on average.¹

In contrast, a control group receiving a standard weekly bag of produce of equivalent value without additional support saw a reduction of only 0.3 mm Hg. For participants who showed high adherence to the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) dietary pattern, the results were even more pronounced, with an average systolic drop of 13.3 mm Hg, a level of improvement that exceeds the effects of some common blood pressure-lowering medications.

“It’s not enough to just tell people to change their dietary behaviors,” Oluwabunmi Ogungbe, PhD, assistant professor in the Johns Hopkins School of Nursing and Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in Baltimore, said in the news release. “We asked, what if we actually prescribe what they should eat, give it to them, coach them on how to prepare those foods in ways that reflect their culture and taste preferences, and then see whether they will be more likely to sustain the change going forward?”

For pharmacists and the broader cardiovascular care team, these results highlight the clinical potential of integrating Food Is Medicine strategies into standard care pathways. The multipronged approach of the study included one-on-one sessions with dietitians—often matched to the patient's cultural background—and a mobile farm stand where participants could request substitutions to suit their preferences, rather than receiving a static bag of produce. Pharmacists were among the health care providers involved in the human-centered design process used to cocreate the THRIVE program, ensuring that the intervention was both acceptable and feasible within real-world clinical environments.^1,2

The intervention's success was largely driven by its focus on the DASH eating plan, which emphasizes fruits, vegetables, nuts, whole grains, and lean proteins while strictly limiting sodium, added sugars, and saturated fats. High sodium intake is a critical concern for hypertensive patients, as it causes the body to retain water, increasing blood volume and placing significant stress on the heart and arteries. Although pharmacologic therapies remain a cornerstone of treatment, food-based interventions act as a powerful complement to medication.^1,3

In a similar Food as Medicine study conducted by Stanford Medicine, researchers found that when a physician prescribes produce, it sends a profound message to the patient that nutrition is as vital to their health as their pharmacological regimen.⁴

The broader implications for chronic disease management are supported by findings from California’s Recipe4Health program, which utilized a similar model of "Food Farmacies" and "Behavioral Pharmacies" involving group health education. That study observed tangible improvements not only in blood pressure but also in nonhigh-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels and hemoglobin A_1C levels for those at risk for diabetes. Participants in such programs also reported significant reductions in anxiety and loneliness, alongside improved quality of life, suggesting that these interventions address social determinants of health that frequently interfere with medication adherence and chronic disease self-management.^2,4

“This information is really actionable for clinicians, because they can tell patients, your blood pressure is more likely to be lowered if you have the right support in place—the ability to access and afford healthy foods, the confidence to cook with them, culturally aligned guidance from someone who understands your background, and consistent encouragement along the way,” Ogungbe said.¹ “And, at the policy level, there is a lot of interest in the states and among insurers, who want to know if there is evidence that food-is-medicine actually works and how they can implement it. So, this study is helpful for adding to that evidence.”

READ MORE: Cardiology Resource Center

Are you ready to elevate your pharmacy practice? Sign up today for our free Drug Topics newsletter and get the latest drug information, industry trends, and patient care tips straight to your inbox.

REFERENCES

1. Culturally tailored food intervention delivers meaningful blood pressure reductions. American College of Cardiology. News release. March 30, 2026. Accessed March 30, 2026. https://www.acc.org/About-ACC/Press-Releases/2026/03/30/12/37/Culturally-Tailored-Food-Intervention-Delivers-Meaningful-Blood-Pressure-Reductions

2. Adeleye K, McDaniel K, Iribe I, et al. Applications of Human-Centered Design to Food Is Medicine Interventions: The THRIVE Pilot Trial. J Am Heart Assoc. 2025;14(15):e041846. doi:10.1161/JAHA.125.041846

3. Mayo Clinic. DASH eating plan. 2025. Accessed March 30, 2026. https://mcforms.mayo.edu/mc6800-mc6899/mc6872.pdf

4. Savchuk K. A prescription for produce improves health, new research finds. News release. Stanford Medicine. March 3, 2025. Accessed March 30, 2026. https://med.stanford.edu/news/insights/2025/03/food-as-medicine-produce-education-chronic-disease.html