The goals of this community-based clinical trial are to examine the association between community garden participation and 1) fruit and vegetable intake (primary outcome) and 2) access to healthy food (secondary outcome) among adults aged 18-95 living in low resource communities. Gardens will be randomized to the intervention (n=4 gardens) or control group (delayed intervention, n=3 gardens). Participants will be assigned to one of seven community gardens to receive an 8-week intervention. During the intervention, participants will be asked to volunteer in the garden, participate in garden social activities, participate in healthy cooking demonstrations and educational sessions. Participants will receive educational materials as well. To assess the effects of the intervention, participants will receive a baseline, 8-week, and 6-month survey. Outcome measures will be compared between the intervention and control groups.
Food insecurity is a major cause of chronic diseases and is highest in the nation in Arkansas. Evidence shows that community gardens and healthy cooking demonstration can reduce food insecurity by 1) increasing access to healthy foods and 2) promoting healthy food consumption. Community garden participation is one factor that can influence healthy food consumption such as fruit and vegetable intake. The goals of this community-based clinical trial are to examine the association between community garden participation and 1) fruit and vegetable intake (primary outcome) and 2) access to healthy food (secondary outcome) among adults aged 18-95 living in low resource communities. Participants will be assigned to one of seven community gardens to receive an 8-week intervention. During the intervention participants will be asked to volunteer in the garden, participate in garden social activities, participate in healthy cooking demonstrations and educational sessions. Participants will receive educational materials as well. Four of the gardens will be randomized to the intervention group and three to the delayed intervention group. To assess the effects of the intervention, participants will receive a baseline, 8-week, and 6-month survey. Other measures that we will examine include food security; sociodemographics; physical activity; life satisfaction; perceived stress; neighborhood collective efficacy; self-efficacy; individual level social determinants of health; community engagement; and knowledge, attitudes, and satisfaction related to gardening and cooking.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
PREVENTION
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
138
The gardens in the intervention group will receive an 8-week intervention that includes 1) educational materials, 2) healthy cooking demonstrations, food and transportation support and 3) garden social activities. The control group will be asked to abstain from intervention activities. The control group will receive the delayed 8-week intervention one month after the intervention group.
University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences
Little Rock, Arkansas, United States
RECRUITINGFruit and vegetable intake
We will use the five factor screener that is used to approximate intake of fruit juices, fruit, green leafy vegetables, other vegetables, tomato-based sauces, potatoes, and beans
Time frame: From baseline to 8 weeks (end of intervention) and 6-months post intervention
Access to healthy foods
We will use the the Perceived Availability of the Healthy Food Scale. Participants will be asked to think of the neighborhood area (1 mile radius) and the extent to which they feel that the foods are of high quality, available, and are low fat.
Time frame: From baseline to 8 weeks (end of intervention) and 6-months post intervention
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