An Indigenous Food Is Medicine Intervention: The MUTTON-HF Randomized Clinical Trial - Scorecard - MDSpire
Coming Soon: Introducing MDSpire News. Learn more
Conexiant’s news site is now MDSpire News. Learn more

A Food as Medicine Approach for Indigenous Populations: Results from the MUTTON-HF Randomized Clinical Trial

  • By

  • Lauren A. Eberly

  • Carmen George

  • Sharon Sandman

  • Denee Bex

  • Karianne Jones

  • Asia Yazzie

  • Leah Gray

  • Larissa Morgan

  • Ada Tennison

  • Conor Williams

  • Matt Chandra

  • Rebecca Wickre

  • Bennett Wickre

  • Mackenzie Bolas

  • Remi Welbel

  • Delaney Ignace

  • Benjamin Feliciano

  • Stacy Hammer

  • DezBaa Damon-Mallette

  • Erica Lindsey

  • Paula Mora

  • Aijun Ye

  • Maricruz Merino

  • Enrique F. Schisterman

  • Sonya S. Shin

  • September 1, 2026

Share

Clinical Scorecard: A Food as Medicine Approach for Indigenous Populations: Results from the MUTTON-HF Randomized Clinical Trial

At a Glance

CategoryDetail
ConditionHeart Failure (HF)
Key MechanismsMedically tailored meals (MTMs) using traditional Navajo foods to improve cardiovascular health outcomes.
Target PopulationIndigenous communities, specifically Navajo Nation residents with heart failure.
Care SettingIndian Health Service (IHS) ambulatory clinics

Key Highlights

  • MUTTON-HF is a culturally and medically tailored meal program aimed at reducing hospitalizations and ED visits.
  • Participants received 14 culturally tailored meals weekly over 60 days.
  • The trial was conducted at two IHS sites within the Navajo Nation.

Guideline-Based Recommendations

Diagnosis

  • Eligibility defined by at least one clinical encounter and one prescription for heart failure in the past 12 months.

Management

  • Participants received usual care along with culturally tailored meals.

Monitoring & Follow-up

  • Outcomes included hospitalization and ED use, as well as changes in blood pressure, weight, and quality of life.

Risks

  • Exclusion criteria included hospice care and inability to provide consent.

Patient & Prescribing Data

Patients with heart failure from Navajo Nation receiving care at IHS clinics.

Medically tailored meals were developed to meet dietary guidelines while incorporating traditional foods.

Clinical Best Practices

  • Utilize community-based participatory methods in intervention design.
  • Incorporate traditional foods and cultural practices in dietary interventions.

Related Resources & Content

Original Source(s)

An Indigenous Food Is Medicine Intervention: The MUTTON-HF Randomized Clinical Trial

  • by Lauren A. Eberly, Carmen George, Sharon Sandman, Denee Bex, Karianne Jones, Asia Yazzie, Leah Gray, Larissa Morgan, Ada Tennison, Conor Williams, Matt Chandra, Rebecca Wickre, Bennett Wickre, Mackenzie Bolas, Remi Welbel, Delaney Ignace, Benjamin Feliciano, Stacy Hammer, DezBaa Damon-Mallette, Erica Lindsey, Paula Mora, Aijun Ye, Maricruz Merino, Enrique F. Schisterman, Sonya S. Shin

  • September 1, 2026

Related Content

Tricuspid regurgitation thresholds reassessed

The proposed framework classified 30% of patients as high or extreme risk, compared with 12% classified as having severe or greater tricuspid regurgitation under established grading schemes.

When Heart Failure Treatment Isn’t Enough: Signs It’s Time to Refer for Advanced Heart Failure Care

Advanced heart failure does not always present as a single defining event. Referring physicians may instead notice a pattern of worsening symptoms, recurrent hospitalizations or increasing difficulty maintaining a patient’s clinical stability.

  • by

  • August 28, 2026

  • 6 min
Mobile Integrated Health and Post–Hospital Discharge Heart Failure Care