According to a new study published in the journal

Health Affairs, Community Servings' medically tailored meals

reduce healthcare costs by 16 percent. The study, funded by AARP Foundation and undertaken in partnership with Massachusetts General Hospital and the community-based health plan Commonwealth Care Alliance, is the first to demonstrate how providing made-from-scratch, medically tailored meals to critically and chronically ill individuals can lead to fewer costly emergency department visits and hospital admissions.

"This rigorous study reinforces our belief that there is significant potential for improved health outcomes and cost savings if health plans cover medically tailored meals for patients with complex health issues," said David Waters, CEO of Community Servings.

Researchers found that participants in both Community Servings' medically tailored meals program and a traditional home-delivered meals program experienced fewer emergency department visits and emergency transportation services, but only Community Servings' clients had fewer inpatient admissions - resulting in a 16% net reduction in healthcare costs. In dollar terms, the average monthly medical costs for medically tailored meals participants was $843, compared to $1,413 for the control group, reflecting gross savings of $570 per month, or net savings (factoring in the cost of the meals) of $220 per month.

"We know from decades of research that poor diet is associated with worse health, and there is no doubt that poor diet leads to higher costs of care. This study adds evidence that medically tailored meals may have a positive effect on health while lowering the use of expensive healthcare services," said Dr. Seth Berkowitz, research author now affiliated with the University of North Carolina School of Medicine in Chapel Hill, N.C.

Read the study in Health Affairs and follow the conversation on social media using #FoodistheFoundation.

In the last five years, Community Servings has experienced a

40% growth in the demand for our medically tailored meals and often carries a waitlist of over 100 potential patients in need of meals. Our medically tailored meals are a cost-effective approach to managing the health of individuals with complex medical and social needs, proven by our Massachusetts General Hospital research. As the demand continues to grow, we are at capacity in our current facilities and we need to expand.