Providing tailored meals to heart failure patients

Food is Medicine for Patients with Heart Failure

Not applicable Interventional University of California, San Diego · NCT06540118

This study is testing if providing personalized meals can help adults with heart failure eat better and improve their health over twelve weeks.

Quick facts

PhaseNot applicable
Study typeInterventional
Enrollment60 (estimated)
Ages18 Years and up
SexAll
SponsorUniversity of California, San Diego Academic / other
Locations2 sites (La Jolla, California and 1 other locations)
Trial IDNCT06540118 on ClinicalTrials.gov

What this trial studies

This study investigates the impact of medically tailored meals (MTMs) on adults with heart failure over a twelve-week period. Participants will be randomly assigned to receive either 15 or 14 MTMs each week, with the primary outcome being the quality of their diet assessed by the Healthy Eating Index at the end of the study. Secondary outcomes will include patient satisfaction, adherence to the meal plan, and various clinical measures such as blood cholesterol and blood pressure. The study aims to determine if tailored nutrition can improve dietary quality and health outcomes in this population.

Who should consider this trial

Good fit: Ideal candidates are adults diagnosed with congestive heart failure who live in the San Diego or Bay Area and are willing to improve their diet.

Not a fit: Patients with end-stage heart failure, diabetes, or severe food allergies may not benefit from this study.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could significantly enhance dietary quality and overall health for patients with heart failure.

How similar studies have performed: Other studies have shown promising results with tailored nutritional interventions for chronic conditions, suggesting potential success for this approach.

Eligibility criteria

Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria:

* Willingness to comply with all study procedures and availability for the duration of the study
* Living in San Diego or the Bay Area of California
* Reported congestive heart failure (CHF) diagnosis
* Current diet can be improved
* Willing to eat all meals provided by the study

Exclusion Criteria:

* Diagnosed with end-stage heart failure
* Diagnosed with diabetes (type 1 or uncontrolled type 2)
* Currently taking insulin and/or meglitinides medications
* Hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) results \>8 %
* Life expectancy of \<1 year
* Pregnancy or lactation
* Known severe allergic reactions and/or food intolerances that would interfere with the ability to eat study-provided meals, including foods that are prepared in a facility that works with the allergen
* Current smoker or tobacco use within the past year
* Planning to leave San Diego or the Bay Area during the course of the study
* Unable to communicate reasonably well either orally or through written material in English
* Those who, in the opinion of the investigators, cannot reliably complete the study protocol

Where this trial is running

La Jolla, California and 1 other locations

Study contacts

How to participate

  1. Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
  2. Visit the official trial page on ClinicalTrials.gov for the most current contact information and recruitment status.
  3. Contact the listed study coordinator or principal investigator to request pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.
Conditions Heart FailureHeart Failure,CongestiveHeart Diseases
Last reviewed 2026-06-13 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.