The study aims to investigate whether the provision of free fresh fruits and vegetables to middle-aged men at risk of poverty increases their fruit and vegetable intake over a period of 4 weeks.
A total of 100 men (\> 30 years, living alone) with a low SES will be randomly assigned to a control or intervention group while controlling for food bank use. The intervention group will receive free fresh fruits and vegetables consisting of 2 daily portions of their favorite variety over a period of 4 weeks which will be provided to them once per week. All participants will be asked to fill out a demographic questionnaire as well as a Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ), a questionnaire on variety of fruits and vegetables consumed and a 24-h-food-recall questionnaire. All questionnaires will be administered by trained interviewers. During the study period, the 24h-food recall questionnaire will be administered four more times; two times before the 4-week intervention period and two times after the intervention period. After the 4-week intervention period, interviewers will administered the FFQ and the questionnaire on variety. Participants assigned to the control group will receive a fruit and vegetable basket after 4 weeks after baseline. All participants will receive gift certificates for local supermarkets in the amount of 35,00 €.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
PREVENTION
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
61
The intervention consists of providing free fruits and vegetables of the participants' liking for a period of 4 weeks. Each week, a total of 2 portions of either fruits and/or vegetables per day will be provided.
Institute of Nutritional Medicine, University of Hohenheim
Stuttgart, Germany
Variety of Fruits and Vegetables
Change from Baseline in the Types of Fruit and Vegetables Consumed per Day at 4 weeks
Time frame: baseline and 4 weeks
Amount of Fruits and Vegetables
Change from Baseline in the Amount of Fruit and Vegetables Consumed per Day at 4 weeks
Time frame: baseline and 4 weeks
Variety of Fruits and Vegetables Among Food Bank Users
Change from Baseline in the Types of Fruit and Vegetables Consumed per Day at 4 weeks among food bank users.
Time frame: baseline and 4 weeks
Amount of Fruits and Vegetables Among Food Bank Users
Change from Baseline in the Amount of Fruit and Vegetables Consumed per Day at 4 weeks among food bank users
Time frame: baseline and 4 weeks
Variety of Fruits and Vegetables Among Non-Food Bank Users
Change from Baseline in the Types of Fruit and Vegetables Consumed per Day at 4 weeks among non-Ffood Bank Users
Time frame: baseline and 4 weeks
Amount of Fruits and Vegetables Among Non-Food Bank Users
Change from Baseline in the Amount of Fruit and Vegetables Consumed per Day at 4 weeks among non-Food Bank Users.
Time frame: baseline and 4 weeks
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