Survey

Physicians Report Impact of Food Insecurity on Patient Health and Chronic Disease Management

Chronic disease continues to be one of the greatest burdens on the U.S. health system, driving the majority of health care costs and significantly impacting quality of life for millions of Americans. Physicians across the country are witnessing firsthand how drivers of health—like access to nutritious food, stable housing and transportation—play a critical role in both the development and management of chronic conditions.

The Physicians Foundation’s new quick pulse survey of America’s physicians analyzes how access to nutritious food shapes chronic disease outcomes in clinical practice.

2025

Key Findings

Physician Perspectives

Physicians shared powerful stories of patients struggling to manage diabetes, heart disease and other chronic illnesses because they couldn’t afford or access healthy foods.

I asked them to change their diet for hypertension, but they did not have a grocery store nearby to get healthy foods despite having the knowledge for heart healthy diet.

I was recently taken care of a female patient from an underserved community, who is only able to eat, boxed food, fast food, lives on the street and does not have a kitchen to cook healthy meals.

A patient with poorly controlled type 2 diabetes was seen in clinic for worsening glucose control despite prescribed metformin and insulin. During the visit, she revealed she had been relying primarily on shelf-stable items from a local food pantry — including white bread, pasta, canned soups, and sweetened cereals — because she lacked transportation to a full grocery store and had a fixed income, further complicating their insulin timing and increased the risk of hypoglycemia.

A patient with celiac disease needed to be on specific foods to avoid flaring their disease, but they live in a food desert in terms of grocery stores which made this difficult.

Methodology

The Physicians Foundation collaborated with Medscape to conduct a national pulse survey of 100 licensed physicians in the U.S in June 2025. The sample reflects Medscape’s online population and has a margin of error of ±10% at a 95% confidence level. This survey provides rapid insights into how real-world issues are affecting medical practice and patient care.