Mobile Food Market for Healthy Eating

Overseen By Melissa Horning, PhD, RN, PHN

Age: 18+

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: University of Minnesota

Disqualifiers: Moving, Already shopping, No contact, Others

No Placebo Group All trial participants will receive the active study treatment (no placebo)

Approved in 1 Jurisdiction This treatment is already approved in other countries

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: Unknown

262 Participants Needed

Trial Summary

Do I need to stop my current medications for this trial?

The trial protocol does not specify whether you need to stop taking your current medications. It seems unlikely, as the trial focuses on food access and diet.

Will I have to stop taking my current medications?

The trial information does not specify whether you need to stop taking your current medications. It seems focused on diet and food access, so it's unlikely that medication changes are required.

What data supports the idea that Mobile Food Market for Healthy Eating is an effective treatment?

The available research shows that the Mobile Food Market for Healthy Eating, specifically the Food on the Move program in Rhode Island, has been effective in increasing access to and consumption of fruits and vegetables in low-income communities. The program evolved from previous mobile market programs and demonstrated success in making fruits and vegetables more affordable and accessible. In 2018, the program sold over $160,000 in produce, with more than $50,000 coming from purchases made with SNAP benefits, thanks to an incentive program. This indicates that the mobile market approach can lead to sustained improvements in healthy eating habits in these communities. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

What data supports the effectiveness of the treatment Mobile Food Market for Healthy Eating?

Research on mobile produce markets, like the Food on the Move program in Rhode Island, shows they can improve access to and consumption of fruits and vegetables in low-income communities. This program successfully transitioned from research trials to a sustainable public health initiative, demonstrating its effectiveness in promoting healthy eating. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

What safety data exists for the Mobile Food Market for Healthy Eating treatment?

The provided research does not contain specific safety data related to the Mobile Food Market for Healthy Eating or its alternative names. The articles focus on topics such as beverage consumption in schools, adverse drug events, and drug safety, which are unrelated to the safety of mobile food markets or similar interventions. ^{6 7 8 9 10}

Is the Mobile Food Market for Healthy Eating a promising treatment?

Yes, the Mobile Food Market for Healthy Eating is a promising treatment. It helps people in underserved communities get access to fresh fruits and vegetables, which are important for a healthy diet. These mobile markets make it easier for people to buy healthy foods by bringing them directly to neighborhoods that might not have easy access to grocery stores. This can lead to better eating habits and improved health. ^{11 12 13 14 15}

How is the Full-service mobile market treatment different from other treatments for improving healthy eating?

The Full-service mobile market treatment is unique because it brings a full range of healthy food options directly to underserved communities, making it easier for people to access fresh fruits and vegetables. Unlike other treatments that might focus on education or subsidies, this approach physically delivers a variety of affordable, healthy foods to areas with limited access, aiming to change eating habits by improving availability and convenience. ^{11 12 13 14 15}

What is the purpose of this trial?

Mobile food markets have been proposed as a strategy for mitigating health disparities related to poor nutrition and diet/weight-related health conditions because they bring low-cost, healthy food directly to underserved populations. Full-service mobile markets may improve multiple aspects of the diet by providing foods to meet all dietary needs through a convenient one-stop shop. The full-service mobile market to be tested (Twin Cities Mobile Market) sells nutritious and staple foods from a bus that regularly visits low-income neighborhoods. Foods are sold at prices \~10% below those of grocery stores. SNAP/EBT is accepted, and a state-funded fruit/vegetable incentive program (Market Bucks) is available to shoppers. Working in partnership with our community team members, we will enroll 12 total sites and recruit 22 participants per site (N=264). We will collect baseline data and randomize sites to either receive the full-service mobile market intervention or serve as the waitlist control. We will then implement the full-service mobile market at intervention sites, follow participants for 6 months, and collect follow-up data. After follow-up data collection, waitlist control sites will receive the full-service mobile market intervention. Diet quality will be assessed through dietary recall interviews, food insecurity will be assessed by survey, and fruit and vegetable purchases will be measured by collecting one month of food purchase tracking forms at baseline and follow-up data collection. Analyses will determine whether the full-service mobile market changes diet quality, food security, and food purchasing outcomes.

Research Team

Melissa Horning, PhD, RN, PHN

Principal Investigator

University of Minnesota

Eligibility Criteria

This trial is for primary food shoppers aged 18 or older who live near certain low-income, underserved neighborhoods. They must be likely to shop at a mobile market if available, speak English/ASL, and be able to participate in study activities. Excluded are those planning to move soon, without contact info, or with conditions affecting participation/data quality.

Inclusion Criteria

Living within a half mile of the community site location

Willing and able to participate in all study data collection activities

Reporting to be likely or somewhat likely to shop at the market

Exclusion Criteria

Not having a phone number or mailing address

Presence of a condition or abnormality that would prohibit participation in the study or the quality of the data

I am currently shopping at the mobile market.

Timeline

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

Baseline Data Collection

Baseline data is collected and sites are randomized to either receive the full-service mobile market intervention or serve as the waitlist control

4 weeks

Intervention

Implementation of the full-service mobile market at intervention sites

6 months

Regular visits by the mobile market

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for changes in diet quality, food security, and food purchasing outcomes

6 months

Waitlist Control Intervention

Waitlist control sites receive the full-service mobile market intervention after follow-up data collection

6 months

Treatment Details

Interventions

• Full-service market intervention
• No intervention

Trial Overview The trial tests whether a full-service mobile market selling affordable nutritious foods can improve diet quality and food security among residents of low-income areas. Half the sites get the market intervention; the other half wait their turn while serving as controls. Diet changes will be tracked over six months.

Participant Groups

Group I: Experimental group Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

Participants in low-income neighborhoods and/or adjacent to low-income housing randomized to the intervention group will receive the full-service market intervention following randomization.

Group II: Waitlist control Placebo Group 1 Intervention

Participants in low-income neighborhoods and/or adjacent to low-income housing randomized to the control group will be placed on a waitlist to receive market service after follow- up data collection is complete.

Full-service market intervention is already approved in United States for the following indications:

Approved in United States as Mobile Food Market for:

• Improving diet quality
• Reducing food insecurity
• Increasing healthy food purchases

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

University of Minnesota

Lead Sponsor

Trials

1,459

Recruited

1,623,000+

Findings from Research

The Food on the Move program in Rhode Island, which evolved from previous mobile market studies, has successfully improved access to and consumption of fruits and vegetables among low-income families, demonstrating its effectiveness over more than a decade of research.

The program implemented an innovative SNAP incentive initiative that significantly boosted produce sales, with over $50,000 in sales attributed to this incentive in 2018, showcasing a successful model for translating research into sustainable public health practice.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Translating Research-Funded Mobile Produce Market Trials Into Sustained Public Health Programs : Food on the Move. Evans, EW., Lyerly, R., Gans, KM., et al.[2023]

A nutrition-focused quality improvement program for malnourished hospitalized patients significantly reduced 30-day readmissions and hospital length of stay, leading to substantial cost savings of nearly $1.9 million compared to the baseline cohort.

The program demonstrated a per-patient net savings of $1,499 and $3,858 when comparing different cohorts, highlighting the economic benefits of integrating nutrition interventions into patient care to enhance outcomes and reduce healthcare costs.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Budget Impact of a Comprehensive Nutrition-Focused Quality Improvement Program for Malnourished Hospitalized Patients. Sulo, S., Feldstein, J., Partridge, J., et al.[2021]

A study involving 78 overweight patients with type 2 diabetes showed that providing educational sessions and $6 coupons for farmers markets significantly increased their purchasing behavior from these markets after 12 weeks.

Participants in the intervention group also reported a slight increase in their daily fresh fruit intake, suggesting that combining education with economic incentives can positively influence dietary habits in low-income communities.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Impact of a focused nutrition educational intervention coupled with improved access to fresh produce on purchasing behavior and consumption of fruits and vegetables in overweight patients with diabetes mellitus. Weinstein, E., Galindo, RJ., Fried, M., et al.[2018]

The American Heart Association's interventions in 8 communities successfully increased the availability of healthy vending options while reducing unhealthy choices, as assessed by the Nutrition Environment Measures Survey.

These policy, systems, and environmental changes demonstrate that targeted interventions can effectively improve access to healthy foods and beverages, potentially leading to lower rates of chronic diseases.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Evaluation of Community-Based Policy, Systems, and Environment Interventions Targeting the Vending Machines. Garcia, KM., Garney, WR., Primm, KM., et al.[2018]

The intervention, which included a farmers' market and financial incentives, led to a marginally significant increase of 1.6 servings of fruits and vegetables consumed per day among 41 low-income diabetics over 22 weeks.

Diabetics who used financial incentives and visited the farmers' market more frequently had significantly higher odds of improving their fruit and vegetable consumption, highlighting the importance of addressing economic barriers to healthy food access.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

A farmers' market at a federally qualified health center improves fruit and vegetable intake among low-income diabetics. Freedman, DA., Choi, SK., Hurley, T., et al.[2021]

A risk assessment of regular carbonated soft drink (RCSD) consumption in schools found no significant relationship between RCSD intake and body mass index (BMI) based on data from three major studies involving low consumption levels (15-60 g/day).

The analysis indicates that targeting RCSD consumption in schools as a strategy for preventing adolescent overweight may not be effective, suggesting a need to explore other factors influencing BMI.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

A risk analysis model of the relationship between beverage consumption from school vending machines and risk of adolescent overweight. Forshee, RA., Storey, ML., Ginevan, ME.[2006]

In 2001, there were approximately 4.3 million visits to healthcare facilities in the U.S. due to adverse drug events (VADEs), indicating a significant patient safety concern.

The study found that VADEs were more common in elderly patients aged 65-74 and in females, highlighting the need for targeted safety measures in these populations.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Ambulatory care visits for treating adverse drug effects in the United States, 1995-2001. Zhan, C., Arispe, I., Kelley, E., et al.[2019]

The study developed a big data analytics strategy that effectively detects and identifies adverse drug events (ADEs) from both biomedical articles and health-related social media, achieving high accuracy (92.7%) and precision (93.6%).

This research represents a pioneering effort in using machine learning and text mining on large datasets to analyze ADEs, providing a scalable method for real-time updates and visualization of ADE interactions.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Adverse Drug Event Discovery Using Biomedical Literature: A Big Data Neural Network Adventure. P Tafti, A., Badger, J., LaRose, E., et al.[2020]

The study found that spontaneous adverse event reports (SAERs) for generic drugs were significantly lower than those for original branded drugs, indicating potential underreporting of safety issues for generics.

As generic drugs gained market share, the reporting of SAERs did not increase correspondingly, suggesting that relying solely on SAERs may not be sufficient for ensuring drug safety, especially when generics dominate the market.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Lower Proportion of Spontaneous Adverse Event Reports for Generic Drugs by Comparison With Original Branded Drugs at the Postmarket Stage in Japan. Takami, A., Hirata, K., Ishiguro, C., et al.[2020]

The definition of an adverse drug event (ADE) should be tailored to the specific purpose of the evaluation, with stricter definitions needed for scientific studies and more flexible ones for clinical use.

Postmarketing safety data for drugs is limited at launch, but can be supplemented through systems like the FDA's Spontaneous Reporting System and targeted research projects, emphasizing the importance of robust epidemiological evidence for regulatory actions like drug recalls.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Adverse drug events: identification and attribution. Rogers, AS.[2022]

The Twin Cities Mobile Market, a full-service mobile grocery store, has the potential to improve access to healthy foods in underserved communities, helping to reduce barriers to purchasing nutritious items.

Customer feedback from focus groups suggests that shopping at the mobile market positively influences dietary habits and health outcomes, including better management of weight, diabetes, and blood pressure.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Full-Service Twin Cities Mobile Market Impact: Qualitative Findings From Focus Groups With Customers. Horning, ML., Porter, LR., Hassan, A., et al.[2021]

The Veggie Van (VV) program, evaluated through a cluster-randomized controlled trial with 201 participants across 12 sites in North Carolina, aims to improve access to fresh fruits and vegetables (F/V) in underserved communities, addressing barriers like cost and preparation time.

Baseline data showed that participants reported an average F/V intake of 3.4 cups/day, with significant barriers to consumption identified, including cost and low self-efficacy in trying new vegetables, highlighting the need for interventions that enhance skills in purchasing and preparing F/V.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

A Cluster-Randomized Trial of a Mobile Produce Market Program in 12 Communities in North Carolina: Program Development, Methods, and Baseline Characteristics. Leone, LA., Tripicchio, GL., Haynes-Maslow, L., et al.[2022]

Mobile food markets can help increase fruit and vegetable consumption among shoppers, indicating their potential effectiveness in promoting healthier food choices in food deserts.

Both shoppers and non-shoppers view fruits and vegetables as luxury items and lack knowledge about serving sizes and daily recommendations, highlighting the need for better education and awareness to improve the success of mobile markets.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Overcoming challenges to effectiveness of mobile markets in US food deserts. Zepeda, L., Reznickova, A., Lohr, L.[2016]

Mobile produce markets are effective in improving access to fruits and vegetables in underserved communities, but they face significant challenges such as funding, regulatory navigation, and community engagement, as identified through interviews with 21 key informants from organizations operating for over 2 years.

To enhance the success of these markets, strategies like maximizing additional services, innovative staffing solutions, and formal partnerships with community organizations are recommended, highlighting the need for further research on effective practices for sustainability.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Operational challenges that may affect implementation of evidence-based mobile market interventions. Kasprzak, CM., Lally, AE., Schoonover, JJ., et al.[2022]

Mobile produce markets are an effective way to increase access to affordable fruits and vegetables in underserved communities across the U.S., promoting better health and nutrition.

Standardizing practices among mobile markets is crucial for enhancing their effectiveness and sustainability, as these markets share common goals of food access, health education, and community empowerment.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Using common practices to establish a framework for mobile produce markets in the United States. Kasprzak, CM., Schoonover, JJ., Gallicchio, D., et al.[2022]

References

1. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Translating Research-Funded Mobile Produce Market Trials Into Sustained Public Health Programs : Food on the Move. [2023]

2. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Budget Impact of a Comprehensive Nutrition-Focused Quality Improvement Program for Malnourished Hospitalized Patients. [2021]

3. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Impact of a focused nutrition educational intervention coupled with improved access to fresh produce on purchasing behavior and consumption of fruits and vegetables in overweight patients with diabetes mellitus. [2018]

4. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Evaluation of Community-Based Policy, Systems, and Environment Interventions Targeting the Vending Machines. [2018]

5. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

A farmers' market at a federally qualified health center improves fruit and vegetable intake among low-income diabetics. [2021]

6. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

A risk analysis model of the relationship between beverage consumption from school vending machines and risk of adolescent overweight. [2006]

7. Netherlands pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Ambulatory care visits for treating adverse drug effects in the United States, 1995-2001. [2019]

8. Canada pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Adverse Drug Event Discovery Using Biomedical Literature: A Big Data Neural Network Adventure. [2020]

9. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Lower Proportion of Spontaneous Adverse Event Reports for Generic Drugs by Comparison With Original Branded Drugs at the Postmarket Stage in Japan. [2020]

10. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Adverse drug events: identification and attribution. [2022]

11. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Full-Service Twin Cities Mobile Market Impact: Qualitative Findings From Focus Groups With Customers. [2021]

12. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

A Cluster-Randomized Trial of a Mobile Produce Market Program in 12 Communities in North Carolina: Program Development, Methods, and Baseline Characteristics. [2022]

13. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Overcoming challenges to effectiveness of mobile markets in US food deserts. [2016]

14. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Operational challenges that may affect implementation of evidence-based mobile market interventions. [2022]

15. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Using common practices to establish a framework for mobile produce markets in the United States. [2022]