Public Policy Evaluation: the Case of the Green Prescription

University Hospital, Strasbourg, France210 enrolled

Overview

Numerous studies have highlighted the harmful effects of pesticide exposure during the prenatal period. Food is one of the main vectors of exposure to pesticides, particularly glyphosate, which is the most widely used herbicide. Observational studies have highlighted their effects on health, but few interventional studies have been conducted to identify effective interventions to reduce or eliminate environmental risks. In 2022, the City of Strasbourg implemented the "Ordonnance Verte" (Green Prescription) program, giving all pregnant women in the city access to a weekly basket of organic and local vegetables for several months, as well as awareness-raising workshops on endocrine disruptors and healthy eating. The objective of this study is to assess whether this type of program reduces pregnant women's exposure to pesticides compared to women who continue to eat according to their usual habits. If conclusive, this type of assessment would play a key role in facilitating the rollout of similar initiatives on a larger scale and protecting the health of pregnant women and future children.

Study Type

INTERVENTIONAL

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

PREVENTION

Masking

NONE

Enrollment

210

Conditions

Pregnancy

Interventions

Eligibility

Sex: FEMALEMin age: 18 YearsHealthy volunteers:

Medical Language ↔ Plain English

Inclusion Criteria: * Be a woman * Be less than 32 weeks pregnant * Be registered with the "Ordonnance Verte" program * Have agreed, when registering for the program, to be contacted by a research team * Be affiliated with a social security system or be a beneficiary of such a system. * Be fluent in French. * Be over 18 years of age * Be able to understand the objectives and risks associated with the research and give dated and signed informed consent * Have a telephone and internet access Exclusion Criteria: * Participation in a study on nutrition or any other studies likely to affect exposure to the compounds under investigation * Inability to provide informed consent (difficulties in understanding on the part of the pregnant woman, etc.) * Being under judicial protection * Being under guardianship or conservatorship * Working in the agricultural sector (farmer, employee, apprentice) * Living with someone who works in the agricultural sector (farmer, employee, apprentice)

Outcomes

Primary Outcomes

Change in urinary pesticide concentrations over the two-week study period in the intervention group

Measured as the difference in pesticide levels before and after the intervention

Time frame: Day 0 and at 2 weeks

Difference in urinary pesticide concentrations between the two groups

Measured as the difference in pesticide levels in intervention vs. control groups