A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial of a Produce Prescription Program for Adults With Food Insecurity and Obesity

Top Things to Know

The ProduceRx group lost a significant amount of weight compared to the wait-list control group.

Participants in the ProduceRx group showed greater improvements in their confidence to manage eating behaviors.

Combining produce vouchers with behavioral counseling is a promising approach for addressing obesity in food-insecure populations.

Summary of Conclusion/Findings

The study investigated the feasibility and preliminary effects of the ProduceRx program, which combines produce vouchers with behavioral weight loss counseling. The trial involved 32 adults with obesity and food insecurity, comparing the ProduceRx group to a wait-list control (WLC) group. The findings showed that the ProduceRx group experienced significant weight loss and improved eating self-efficacy compared to the WLC group. However, there were no significant differences in dietary quality, food security, mood, or stress between the groups. The study concluded that produce prescriptions combined with behavioral counseling may be a feasible and effective intervention for weight management in food-insecure populations.