Food as Medicine for Cardiometabolic Health
Trial Summary
Will I have to stop taking my current medications?
The trial does not specify if you need to stop taking your current medications, but you cannot participate if you are using incretin agonists (a type of diabetes medication).
What data supports the effectiveness of the treatment Food is Medicine for cardiometabolic health?
Is the 'Food as Medicine' approach generally safe for humans?
The 'Food as Medicine' approach, which includes programs like Produce Prescription Programs and culinary medicine, focuses on providing healthy foods to improve health. While there is limited research specifically on safety, these programs generally promote the consumption of fruits and vegetables, which are widely considered safe and beneficial for most people.15678
How is the Food is Medicine treatment different from other treatments for cardiometabolic health?
The Food is Medicine treatment is unique because it uses food-based interventions, like providing healthy food resources and nutrition education, to prevent and manage diet-related diseases, rather than relying on traditional medications. This approach integrates food into healthcare systems, aiming to improve diet and health outcomes through strategies like medically tailored meals and produce prescription programs.23569
What is the purpose of this trial?
Though the Mississippi Delta has a rich agricultural history and some of the nation's most fertile soil, residents have experienced the legacy of slavery and economic exploitation through food insecurity and poverty for generations. This project focuses on Bolivar, Washington, and Sunflower, contiguous counties in the Delta that are designated as health disparity populations. Over 65% of the 100,000 residents are Black/African American and \~30% live at or below the poverty level. Obesity rates are high and the rate of diabetes is almost double the national average. Tufts University received a grant from the National Institute of Minority Health and Health Disparities to develop, test, and evaluate a Food is Medicine program in Mississippi. The Delta Growing a Resilient, Enriching, Equitable, Nourishing food System (GREENS) Food is Medicine (FIM) Project, is a collaborative project in Bolivar, Washington, and Sunflower counties in Mississippi. The intervention involves regularly distributed fruit and vegetable produce boxes as well as nutrition education materials to the intervention group. The control group will receive produce boxes later, after they complete study activities. The project's primary goal is to improve health outcomes by creating a FIM intervention. The Delta GREENS FIM Project aims to become a model for promoting nutrition security and management of chronic conditions in varied communities nationwide.
Research Team
Christina D Economos, PhD
Principal Investigator
Tufts University
Eligibility Criteria
The trial is for residents of Bolivar, Washington, and Sunflower counties in Mississippi who are experiencing food insecurity and have cardiometabolic risk factors like diabetes, high blood pressure, or obesity. Participants should be part of the health disparity population with a significant number living at or below poverty level.Inclusion Criteria
Exclusion Criteria
Timeline
Screening
Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial
Intervention
Participants receive regularly distributed fruit and vegetable produce boxes and nutrition education materials
Control
Control group will receive produce boxes after completing study activities
Follow-up
Participants are monitored for changes in health outcomes such as HbA1c, cholesterol, and BMI
Treatment Details
Interventions
- Food is Medicine
Food is Medicine is already approved in United States for the following indications:
- Nutrition insecurity
- Obesity
- Diabetes
- Chronic disease management
Find a Clinic Near You
Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?
Tufts University
Lead Sponsor
Reuben V. Anderson Center for Justice at Tougaloo
Collaborator
Tougaloo College, Mississippi
Collaborator
Delta Health Center, Mississippi
Collaborator
National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD)
Collaborator