Description
- Abstract:
- Background: Obesity is a growing public health concern in the United States and is strongly associated with nutrition insecurity, defined as the lack of having consistent and equitable access to healthy, safe, affordable foods. Produce prescription programs (PPRs) have shown promise in improving dietary quality, however, their effects on objective biomarkers and clinical outcomes remain understudied. Objective: Evaluate the effects of a 6-month pilot PPR on dietary quality, nutrition security, and health outcomes among adults with obesity and nutrition insecurity in Providence, RI. Methods: 11 adults (BMI ≥30; nutrition security score ≤2) were recruited from a GI specialty clinic (recruitment is ongoing with goal n=20). Participants received biweekly deliveries of local fruits and vegetables for 6 months. Baseline data included skin carotenoid levels (Veggie Meter), bioelectrical impedance data (body composition), vitals, HbA1c, lipid panel, 24-hour dietary recall (ASA24), and interviews on barriers to healthy eating. Results: Mean baseline skin carotenoid score was 205 ± 77, corresponding to ~ 2 daily servings of fruits and vegetables. Mean BMI was 39.76 ± 6.34 kg/m² with an average fat mass % of 47.92 ± 7.76%. Cost was the most frequently reported barrier to healthy eating, among other challenges such as transportation and physical limitation. Conclusions: Low fruit and vegetable intake and high body fat levels highlight the need for sustainable interventions addressing nutrition insecurity, particularly those targeting the high cost of nutritious foods. Follow-up data will assess program impact and explore how objective biomarkers can be used in clinical practice.
- Notes:
- Scholarly concentration: Planetary Health
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Citation
Kaull, Jane, Jin, Alex, Ahn, Nikhil, et al.,
"A Community-Based Produce Prescription Intervention To Improve Nutrition Security In Underserved Populations With Nutrition Insecurity and Obesity"
(2025).
Warren Alpert Medical School Academic Symposium.
Brown Digital Repository. Brown University Library.
https://doi.org/10.26300/cf7z-cw34
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Warren Alpert Medical School Academic Symposium
The Warren Alpert Medical School Academic Symposium is an annual event at Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University that provides Year II medical students a venue to present their summer research in a poster format. Participation in the Symposium …...