Impact of a modified produce prescription program on fruit and vegetable intake in an HBCU
Top Things to Know
PRx programs may be feasible in college settings and can promote improvements in specific vegetable- and fruit-related foods, particularly when paired with nutrition education and culturally relevant supports.
Emphasizing culturally familiar, practical foods may increase participant uptake and engagement, especially in underserved student populations.
Future campus-based Food Is Medicine programs may benefit from longer duration, greater produce exposure, stronger behavioral reinforcement, and strategies that address barriers such as limited cooking facilities, time constraints, and convenience.
Summary of Conclusion/Findings
This 12-week quasi-experimental pilot study evaluated a modified produce prescription (PRx) program among 55 food-insecure students at a Historically Black College and University (HBCU) in Texas. Participants in both groups received nutrition education and cooking demonstrations, while the intervention group additionally received biweekly personalized produce bags tailored by a registered dietitian. At endline, the only statistically significant between-group difference was higher cooked bean consumption among intervention participants (χ²=17.63, p=0.014), while intake of non-deep-fried vegetables approached significance (χ²=16.82, p=0.052). Within the intervention group, significant increases were observed in consumption of 100% fruit juice (p=0.028), fruits (p=0.028), green leafy vegetables (p=0.028), cooked beans (p=0.005), other non-deep-fried vegetables (p=0.022), and tomato sauce (p=0.043), whereas the control group improved only in green leafy vegetable intake. Despite these favorable within-group changes, most between-group comparisons were not statistically significant, likely reflecting the study’s small sample size, short duration, modest intervention intensity, and shared education exposure across both groups. Overall, the findings suggest that a culturally tailored campus-based PRx program may support modest improvements in dietary behaviors among food-insecure college students, but larger and more rigorous studies are needed.