Impacts of a Produce Prescription Program on Food Security, Diet Quality, and Psychosocial Health of Adults with Medicaid and Chronic Health Conditions: A 12-Month Longitudinal Evaluation

Top Things to Know

This study highlights that PRx programs can improve psychosocial outcomes (loneliness, depression, fatigue) alongside diet quality.

Weekly produce delivery paired with registered‑dietitian coaching over a full year produced durable improvements in food security, diet quality, and blood pressure.

Clinical benefits may precede healthcare cost savings.

Summary of Conclusion/Findings

This 12‑month longitudinal evaluation examined the impacts of a produce prescription (PRx) program (Fresh Food Rx) on food security, diet quality, psychosocial health, and selected clinical outcomes among Medicaid‑insured adults with food insecurity and chronic conditions. Compared with a matched SNAP‑only group, PRx participants experienced significantly greater increases in fruit and vegetable intake and reductions in loneliness at 6 months, while improvements in food security and depressive symptoms favored the PRx group but did not reach statistical significance in between‑group analyses. Within the intervention cohort, food insecurity declined by 17 percentage points, and fruit and vegetable intake increased by 0.4 cups/day over 12 months. Participants also showed meaningful improvements in depression, loneliness, fatigue, weight, and waist circumference. Among those with elevated baseline blood pressure, systolic blood pressure decreased by 8.6 mmHg at 12 months. Healthcare utilization and costs did not significantly change during the study period, suggesting benefits may accrue through longer‑term pathways rather than short‑term cost reductions.