This study is testing a 28-day healthy eating program for adults who live in public housing and are at risk for heart disease. The program helps people eat more whole plant foods, like fruits, vegetables, beans, and whole grains, and avoid foods that are highly processed or high in fat. Participants get a "kitchen makeover," including groceries, cooking tools, whole-food, plant-based recipes, and support from a nutritionist. The goal is to see if the program is easy to follow, helpful, and if support from a spouse or partner makes it easier to stick with the new way of eating. The study will include 24 adults who either have heart disease or are at risk because of conditions like high blood pressure, diabetes, or obesity. Researchers will visit participants at home to provide supplies and support. They will also collect surveys, interviews, and health information to learn more about how the program worked and how well participants followed the diet.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
NA
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE
Participants receive personally-tailored support by a research nutritionist during five total visits: (1)baseline visit to collect surveys on health status, current home kitchen-based habits, kitchen inventory, food preferences, and clinical measures, followed by assessing health goals, obstacles, and opportunities. At least two breakfast, three lunch, and five dinner WFPB recipes will be selected. (2) A kitchen-centered visit will target the fridge, pantries, and cabinets to assist participants in cleaning out ultra-processed "junk" foods. These foods will be stored in a large tote during the study. (3) The day before the intervention starts will be a grocery shopping trip to purchase the WFPB heart-healthy groceries together. (4) Intervention day 1 will focus on jumpstarting meal prep. After day 1, weekly 30-min telehealth nutrition consultations will provide additional support. (5) Clinical measures and postintervention surveys will be collected on day 29.
University of Kentucky
Lexington, Kentucky, United States
Change in adherence to the whole-food, plant-based (WFPB) diet (pre-post) based on ACLM diet screener.
Dietary intake will be assessed using the American College of Lifestyle Medicine (ACLM) Diet Screener at baseline (Day 0) and post-intervention (Day 29). This validated 15-item tool measures frequency of consumption of foods consistent with a whole-food, plant-based (WFPB) diet. Total scores range from 0 to 100, with higher scores indicating greater adherence to a WFPB diet. Change in dietary intake will be calculated by subtracting the baseline score from the post-intervention score. Positive values reflect improvement in WFPB dietary adherence.
Time frame: Baseline and post intervention (week 4)
Change in weight
Weightwill be measured using the Runstar Scale for Body Weight and Fat Percentage, 8 Electrodes High Precision Digital Scale
Time frame: Baseline and week 4
Change in Body Mass Index
BMI in kg/m\^2 based on measured weight in kg and height in meters.
Time frame: Baseline and week 4
Change in fat mass
Fat mass will be measured using the Runstar Scale for Body Weight and Fat Percentage, 8 Electrodes High Precision Digital Scale
Time frame: Baseline and week 4
Change in systolic blood pressure.
Blood pressure will be measured using the Oklar Blood Pressure Monitors for Home Use Rechargeable Blood Pressure Cuff Wrist Digital BP Machine
Time frame: Baseline and week 4
Change in lean mass
Lean mass will be measured using the Runstar Scale for Body Weight and Fat Percentage, 8 Electrodes High Precision Digital Scale
Time frame: Baseline and week 4
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Change in diastolic blood pressure.
Blood pressure will be measured using the Oklar Blood Pressure Monitors for Home Use Rechargeable Blood Pressure Cuff Wrist Digital BP Machine
Time frame: Baseline and week 4
WFPB diet acceptability
At Day 29, participants will complete a Likert-scale survey evaluating the acceptability of the intervention, including satisfaction with meal prep, support sessions, and educational materials. Each item will be rated on a 5-point scale (1 = strongly disagree to 5 = strongly agree). Higher average scores reflect greater acceptability.
Time frame: Post- intervention (day 29)
Qualitative Assessment of Spousal Influence on Diet Adherence (Exit Interview Coding)
Exit interviews will be conducted with a subset of participants in dyads to assess how spousal involvement influenced WFPB diet adherence. Interviews will be transcribed and analyzed thematically. Themes will be identified using qualitative coding methods to evaluate facilitators and barriers related to spousal support. The presence or absence of key support behaviors (e.g., shared cooking, encouragement, resistance) will be documented.
Time frame: Baseline, post intervention week 4
Difference in WFPB Diet Adherence Between Spousal Dyads and Single Individuals
Adherence to a whole-food, plant-based (WFPB) diet will be measured using the ACLM Diet Screener at baseline (Day 0) and post-intervention (Day 29), with scores ranging from 0 to 100. Higher scores indicate greater adherence. The change in diet screener scores will be compared between participants enrolled as part of a spousal dyad and those enrolled as individuals to assess whether spousal participation is associated with greater adherence to the WFPB diet.
Time frame: Pre/Post (baseline and 4 weeks)