Produce Prescription + Smartphone Support for Pregnancy Nutrition
What You Need to Know Before You Apply
What is the purpose of this trial?
This trial focuses on helping pregnant women enhance their nutrition through a home delivery program that provides fresh produce and nutrition education. The study aims to determine if regular deliveries of fruits and vegetables can improve diet quality and whether a smartphone app with an AI chatbot for cooking tips makes a difference. Participants will receive produce with either standard education (Produce Prescription Program) or additional support from the app. Pregnant women receiving prenatal care at high-risk clinics, particularly those who are overweight or have a history of pregnancy complications, are well-suited for this trial. This study could be especially beneficial for those in Harris County, TX, who may face challenges accessing healthy food options. As an unphased trial, it offers a unique opportunity to contribute to research that could enhance nutrition for pregnant women.
Do I need to stop my current medications for this trial?
The trial information does not specify whether you need to stop taking your current medications. It's best to discuss this with the trial coordinators or your healthcare provider.
Is there any evidence suggesting that this trial's treatments are likely to be safe?
Research shows that produce prescription programs are generally safe and well-received. Studies have found that these programs can boost health by increasing fruit and vegetable intake and reducing food insecurity. Participants reported positive results, such as better diet quality and improved prenatal health, without major side effects. By providing fresh produce and nutrition education, the program is considered safe for most people, including pregnant women.12345
Why are researchers excited about this trial?
Researchers are excited about the Produce Prescription Program (PPRx) because it offers a fresh approach to pregnancy nutrition by combining regular deliveries of fresh produce with modern digital tools. Unlike traditional nutrition programs that may rely solely on educational materials or supplements, PPRx provides biweekly deliveries of diverse fruits and vegetables, ensuring direct access to healthy foods. Additionally, the integration of a smartphone app with an AI chatbot for real-time cooking suggestions sets it apart, offering personalized and immediate support for expecting mothers. This combination of tangible food resources and innovative digital support has the potential to significantly improve dietary habits and overall health during pregnancy, making it a standout option in the realm of prenatal nutrition.
What evidence suggests that this trial's treatments could be effective for improving pregnancy nutrition?
Research has shown that programs providing fruit and vegetable vouchers can improve pregnancy-related health issues like high blood pressure and gestational diabetes. By increasing fruit and vegetable intake, these programs enhance overall diet quality and reduce the risk of food insecurity. Studies have found that these programs benefit heart and metabolic health by encouraging more consumption of fruits and vegetables. In this trial, one group of participants will receive the Produce Prescription Program (PPRx) Standard, while another group will receive the same program plus a smartphone app with AI for cooking tips. This app can simplify healthy meal preparation, boosting the program's effectiveness. These methods appear promising for supporting healthier pregnancies.12367
Who Is on the Research Team?
Nanlini Ranjit, PhD
Principal Investigator
The University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston
Are You a Good Fit for This Trial?
This trial is for Medicaid-eligible pregnant women in Harris County, TX who are at high risk of poor pregnancy or birth outcomes. They must be receiving care at high-risk obstetric clinics, less than 20 weeks into a viable pregnancy, and live within the delivery area. High risk factors include being over 35 years old, overweight or obese, or having had hypertension or diabetes in previous pregnancies.Inclusion Criteria
Exclusion Criteria
Timeline for a Trial Participant
Screening
Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial
Treatment
Participants receive biweekly deliveries of fresh produce and nutrition education materials, with some also using a smartphone app for interactive cooking suggestions
Follow-up
Participants are monitored for changes in produce consumption and diet quality
What Are the Treatments Tested in This Trial?
Interventions
- Produce Prescription Program (PPRx) Standard
- Smartphone App
Trial Overview
The study tests a home-delivery Produce Prescription Program (PPRx) that provides healthy food and nutrition education to participants. It aims to see if this improves diet quality and whether an AI-based smartphone app can help them better use their food baskets to make healthy meals.
How Is the Trial Designed?
2
Treatment groups
Experimental Treatment
Active Control
Participants will receive biweekly deliveries of 20 lbs (\~50 servings) of fresh produce (8-10 different kinds of produce) plus the same standard nutrition education materials provided to the control group consisting of nutrition education infographics inside of the produce prescription boxes as well as online videos, recipes, and nutrition tips accessed via Quick Response (QR) code. Additionally, participants will be given access to a smartphone app that allows women to interact with an artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot to obtain real-time cooking suggestions.
Participants will receive biweekly deliveries of 20 lbs (\~50 servings) of fresh produce (8-10 different kinds of produce) plus standard nutrition education materials consisting of nutrition education infographics inside of the produce prescription boxes as well as online videos, recipes, and nutrition tips accessed via Quick Response (QR) code.
Find a Clinic Near You
Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?
The University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston
Lead Sponsor
American Heart Association
Collaborator
Citations
Gaining stakeholder perspectives to shape a produce ...
Produce prescription programs have the potential to address pregnancy-related adverse outcomes such as hypertensive disorders and gestational diabetes, but ...
Gaining stakeholder perspectives to shape a produce ...
Produce prescription programs have the potential to address pregnancy-related adverse outcomes such as hypertensive disorders and gestational ...
3.
sph.uth.edu
sph.uth.edu/news/story/center-for-health-equity-launches-produce-rx-program-to-improve-highrisk-pregnancy-outcomesCenter for Health Equity Launches Produce Rx Program to ...
Data collected will allow new insight into the impact of healthy food options on high-risk pregnancy birth outcomes. Professor and Vice Chair ...
Impact of Produce Prescriptions on Diet, Food Security ...
Produce prescriptions may improve cardiometabolic health by increasing fruit and vegetable (F&V) consumption and food insecurity.
Produce prescription benefits redemption and activity in an ...
This prospective observational study investigates benefits utilization in a population of 2,680 Massachusetts Medicaid members enrolled in the Fresh Connect ...
6.
nal.usda.gov
nal.usda.gov/research-tools/food-safety-research-projects/boulder-county-public-health-prenatal-produce-rx-deliveryBOULDER COUNTY PUBLIC HEALTH PRENATAL ...
The goals of this produce prescription program are to: increase fruit and vegetable consumption, decrease food insecurity, and improve prenatal health and ...
Food Is Medicine (FIM)
Key outcomes including fruit and vegetable intake, food security status are collected from surveys of PPR participants before and after participating in the ...
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