Headline
A produce prescription program leads to improvements in blood pressure and A1c levels and reductions in food insecurity for people with or at risk of type 2 diabetes.
Background
Produce prescription programs, which provide either direct access or vouchers to purchase fresh fruits and vegetables, are increasingly used as a tool to address food and nutrition insecurity and have been linked to positive health outcomes, particularly among people with type 2 diabetes. This study examined the impact of providing no-cost produce prescriptions for fresh vegetables on health outcomes and food insecurity among a study population of predominantly Hispanic/Latino adult women with or at risk of type 2 diabetes.
Findings
The study enrolled 159 individuals (122 female and 75% Hispanic/Latino) who were either diagnosed with or at risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Participants received weekly prescriptions for 21 servings of fresh locally sourced vegetables over a 10-week period.
Program participants showed significant improvements in multiple health markers, including waist circumference (-0.77 cm) and blood pressure (-2.42 mm Hg), with greater reductions (-7.5 mm Hg) among individuals with high baseline blood pressure. Food insecurity among the cohort decreased significantly (from 35% to 13% of participants), while self-reported sleep, mood, and pain scores improved. Among participants with high blood sugar at baseline, A1c levels decreased by 0.35%. For a subset of 40 participants who wore continuous glucose monitors during the study, time in range improved from 97.4% to 98.9%.
Policy/Program Takeaways
Produce prescription programs offer potential to improve health and food security among individuals with or at risk for type 2 diabetes. Health care organizations can consider implementing produce prescription programs as a strategy to improve diabetes management, particularly for individuals experiencing or at risk of food insecurity.