Increasing fruit and vegetable (FV) intake, and reducing saturated fat, salt, and added sugar are central lifestyle recommendations in the Dietary Guidelines for Americans to prevent chronic disease. Yet, while diet is modifiable, numerous barriers exist for lower-resourced families to engage in healthy dietary behaviors. In particular, rural families face structural and systemic disparities, such as inadequate access to affordable healthy food. Thus, this project. Thus, this study, PhytoRx Families, an innovative produce prescription (Prx) program, addresses health disparities in rural North Carolina (NC). This project will pilot test and explore the impact of PhytoRx Families (PhtyoRxF) on nutrition-related, health-related, and healthcare utilization outcomes.
Increasing fruit and vegetable (FV) intake, and reducing saturated fat, salt, and added sugar are central lifestyle recommendations in the Dietary Guidelines for Americans to prevent chronic disease. Yet, while diet is modifiable, numerous barriers exist for lower-resourced families to engage in healthy dietary behaviors. In particular, rural families face structural and systemic inequities, such as inadequate access to affordable healthy food. Thus, this project, PhytoRx Families, an innovative produce prescription (Prx) program, will address health disparities in rural North Carolina (NC). This project will pilot test and explore the impact of PhytoRx Families (PhtyoRxF) on nutrition-related outcomes. This study will define impact on FV intake using the ASA24 dietary recall (primary outcome) among n=30 adults and school-aged children (adult-child dyads; children 8-14 year olds, 2nd-9th grade). The study will also explore the impact of PhytoRxF on cardiovascular health-related outcomes (blood pressure, glycated hemoglobin (HbA1C), height, weight (BMI calculated)). Finally the study will examine the change in healthcare utilization among PhytoRxF participants.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
NA
Purpose
PREVENTION
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
30
This project will pilot test and explore the impact of PhytoRx Families (PhtyoRxF) on nutrition-related, health-related, and healthcare utilization outcomes among n=30 adults and school-aged children (adult-child dyads; children 8-14 year olds, 2nd-9th grade).
North Carolina State University
Raleigh, North Carolina, United States
RECRUITINGFruit and vegetable intake
Measured by ASA24 dietary recall
Time frame: Baseline and end of study at 16 weeks
Skin carotenoids
Objective measure of fruit and vegetable intake measured by skin carotenoids, derived from a validated reflection spectroscopy device, Veggie Meter®
Time frame: Baseline and end of study at 16 weeks
Diet quality
Measured by ASA24 dietary recall
Time frame: Baseline and end of study at 16 weeks
Food security status
USDA 6-Item Food Security Survey. Score range is 0 to 6. Responses of "often" or "sometimes" on questions HH3 and HH4, and "yes" on AD1, AD2, and AD3 are coded as affirmative (yes). Responses of "almost every month" and "some months but not every month" on AD1a are coded as affirmative (yes). The sum of affirmative responses to the six questions in the module is the household's raw score on the scale. Food security status is assigned as follows: Raw score 0-1-High or marginal food security; Raw score 2-4-Low food security; Raw score 5-6-Very low food security
Time frame: Baseline and end of study at 16 weeks
Nutrition security status
4-Item Household Nutrition Security Screener (Gretchen Swanson/Center for Nutrition \& Health Impact), Score range is 0 (if the participant selects "Always") to 4 (if the participant selects "Never"), with higher scores indicating a greater degree of Household Nutrition Security
Time frame: Baseline and end of study at 16 weeks
Blood pressure
Measured by automated monitor; Omron HEM-907XL, Vernon Hills
Time frame: Baseline and end of study at 16 weeks
Hemoglobin A1C
Measured by point-of-care (PoC) testing via A1C+ Now Analyzer, PTS Diagnostics
Time frame: Baseline and end of study at 16 weeks
Body Mass Index
Weight in kilograms and height in meters (collected at baseline only) will be assessed by electronic scale with stadiometer, SECA 874dr scale. BMI will be calculated by dividing weight (kg) by height (m) squared
Time frame: Baseline and end of study at 16 weeks
Self-efficacy for Healthy Eating
Self-efficacy for Eating Behaviors Scale. Score range from 1 (participant responds strongly disagree) to 5 (participant responds strongly agree), with higher scores indicating higher self efficacy for choosing healthy foods
Time frame: Baseline and end of study at 16 weeks
Food-related Parenting Practices
Comprehensive Home Environment Survey (CHES). Measurement of social and physical home environment to assess food-related parenting practices. Scale from 1 (participant responds "Never") to 5 (participant responds "Always"), with higher scores indicating positive food-related parenting practices (ie eating meals together as a family, modeling healthy behaviors, cooking at home, involving children in the meal planning/cooking process).
Time frame: Baseline and end of study at 16 weeks
Barriers and Facilitators to Fruit and Vegetable Consumption
Adapted instruments from the Family Life, Activity, Sun, Health, and Eating (FLASHE) Parent Module and the Singleton et al 2018 study to assess barriers and facilitators to fruit and vegetable consumption. Score range from 1 (participant responds "Strongly Disagree") to 5 (participant responds "Strongly Agree"), with higher scores representing more barriers to eating fruits and vegetables.
Time frame: Baseline to end of study at 16 weeks
Body Mass Index-For-Age Percentile
Weight in kilograms and height in meters (collected at baseline only) will be assessed by electronic scale with stadiometer, SECA 874dr scale. BMI will be calculated by dividing weight (kg) by height (m) squared, then plotted on a growth chart.
Time frame: Baseline and end of study at 16 weeks
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