Eating healthier foods could help lower-income people better control heir diabetes, according to a recent pilot study.

Researchers from the University of California at San Francisco and Feeding America found that food insecure people had better diabetes control and medication adherence when they increased their consumption of healthy foods, Lab Manager reported.

Food insecurity, a risk factor for poor diabetes control, refers to having a inconsistent or limited access to food, Press-Enterprise reported.

"We have not traditionally thought of food pantries as places to provide diabetes education and diabetes support, but they are in fact ideal places because they reach so many vulnerable people who suffer from diabetes and because they have unique expertise in the distribution of food," Hilary Seligman, first author of the study, said in a statement.

Researchers collected and analyzed data from nearly 700 people at food banks in California, Texas and Ohio over two years. Participants received prepackaged boxes of diabetes-appropriate food including whole grains, lean meats, beans, low-sodium vegetables, and shelf-stable dairy products. The boxes were supplemented with perishable food -- fresh produce, non-fat or low-fat milk, yogurt, cheese, whole grain bread, and frozen lean meat. Each box contained recipes and cooking tips to encourage recipients to eat healthy meals.

The researchers found significant improvement in glycemic control, particularly among those with the worst glycemic control when they started the intervention. Improvements in glycemic control can lower patients' risk of diabetes complications like kidney disease, eye disease, and nerve disease.

They also found that participants ate more fruits and vegetables and better managed their medications, critical factors in diabetes management.

Based on their findings, researchers believe policy makers should consider ways to leverage food bank assets when designing public health interventions for people with diet-sensitive chronic diseases such as diabetes.

"The healthy food that a food bank can provide is a cornerstone of good diabetes management," Seligman said. "Poor nutrition has a role in the development of so many diseases of the modern world -- obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, and cardiovascular disease, just to name a few."

The findings are detailed in the journal Health Affairs.