Food Insecurity and Effectiveness of Behavioral Interventions to Reduce Blood Pressure, New York City, 2012–2013

INTRODUCTION: Food insecurity is associated with diet-sensitive diseases and may be a barrier to successful chronic disease self-management. To evaluate the impact of food insecurity on blood pressure reduction in a pilot clinical trial, we tested the effectiveness of 2 behavioral interventions for hypertension in people with and without food security. METHODS: A group of 28 men and women with type 2 diabetes and uncontrolled hypertension were randomized to either 1) home blood pressure telemonitoring alone or 2) home blood pressure telemonitoring plus telephone-based nurse case management. The primary outcome was 6-month change in systolic blood pressure. RESULTS: The 2 interventions resulted in modest, nonsignificant blood pressure reductions. Food-secure patients experienced clinically and statistically significant reductions in blood pressure, whereas no significant change was seen among food-insecure patients. CONCLUSION: Screening for food insecurity may help identify patients in need of tailored disease management interventions.