For people struggling with multiple chronic conditions, following a doctor-ordered special diet can be a real challenge. Even if they can manage one dietary restriction, such as cutting out sugar, keeping track of several items can be overwhelming.

A new study has found it’s worth the effort, however. People who received medically tailored meals from a nonprofit agency were less likely to need or use expensive services like ambulances and emergency rooms or to be admitted to a hospital.

University of North Carolina researchers tracked 133 people who received meals delivered weekly from a Boston-area nonprofit called Community Servings. Some of the people in the study received medically tailored meals, others did not. The researchers compared these patients with 1,000 other patients who did not get meals delivered, publishing the results in the journal Health Affairs.

Those who got meals delivered had fewer trips to an emergency room. The biggest impacts, however, were among those receiving medically tailored meals. These patients had fewer ambulance trips and were less likely to be admitted to a hospital.

Researchers said this shows not only that the people who had help adhering to their dietary restrictions were healthier, they had significantly less impact on the health care system and thus lower costs. Community Servings, which has been providing meals to millions of Massachusetts residents for nearly 30 years, is working with health insurers to find ways for them to cover the meals.

The results are further evidence for health care workers to use as they stress to patients the importance of healthy eating.