Carotenoid Status, Food Insecurity, Produce Prescription
Conditions
Keywords
Food Insecurity, Produce Prescription, Skin Carotenoids, College Students, Veggie Meter
Brief summary
The goal of this pilot intervention study is to learn if providing weekly produce boxes helps college students who struggle to afford healthy food. It will also test if this program is practical to run on a college campus. The main questions it aims to answer are: * Does receiving free produce boxes increase students' fruit and vegetable intake? * Does the program improve students' food security and nutrient levels in the skin? Researchers will measure skin carotenoids (a marker of healthy eating) using a non-invasive finger scan called a Veggie Meter to see if the produce boxes improve nutrition biomarkers. Participants will: * Receive one free box of fresh fruits and vegetables plus printed nutrition education materials every week for 8 weeks. * Visit the campus site at the start, week 4 and end of the study \[week 8\] for a finger scan, measure their weight and to complete surveys. * Provide feedback on their experience with the produce boxes and their food access.
Interventions
OTHERProduce boxes
The Produce Prescription Program provides a weekly, box of fresh produce specifically curated for high carotenoid content (e.g., leafy greens, carrots, sweet potatoes, and tomatoes). Each box is accompanied by nutrition education materials, including seasonal recipes, storage tips, and preparation guides designed to increase participant food agency and cooking confidence. This intervention is distinguished by its focus on objective nutritional biomarkers; rather than relying solely on self-reported intake, the study utilizes reflection spectroscopy (Veggie Meter) to track changes in skin carotenoid levels at baseline (Week 0), midpoint (Week 4), and completion (Week 8). The contents of the boxes are seasonally dependent to ensure high nutrient density and to simulate a sustainable, real-world campus food-as-medicine model.
Sponsors
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey
Study design
Allocation
NA
Intervention model
SINGLE_GROUP
Primary purpose
HEALTH_SERVICES_RESEARCH
Masking
NONE
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
Yes
Inclusion criteria
* Must be a currently enrolled student at Rutgers Health. * Must be 18 years of age or older. * Must be able to pick up a produce box weekly at the designated campus distribution site for 8 consecutive weeks. * Must provide informed consent to participate in the study, including all data collection time points (Weeks 0, 4, and 8).
Exclusion criteria
* Not a currently enrolled student at Rutgers Health. * Less than 18 years of age. * Not able to pick up food weekly * Not willing to go through study assessments.
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Change in Skin Carotenoid Score | Baseline (Week 0) and Study Completion (Week 8) | Skin carotenoid levels are measured using the Veggie Meter, a non-invasive device that utilizes reflection spectroscopy to provide an objective biomarker of fruit and vegetable intake. The Veggie Meter score is measured on a continuous scale ranging from 0 to 800 units. A higher score indicates a higher concentration of carotenoids in the skin, which serves as a proxy for increased consumption of carotenoid-rich fruits and vegetables. The study will evaluate the change in these scores to determine the impact of the produce box intervention. |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Change in Food Insecurity Status | Baseline (Week 0) and Study Completion (Week 8) | Food insecurity is assessed using the 2-item Hunger Vital Sign screener. This validated tool identifies individuals at risk of food insecurity based on concerns about food running out and the inability to afford more food. Responses are categorized as "food secure" or "food insecure." A participant is considered food insecure if they identify as "often true" or "sometimes true" to either of the two statements. The study will evaluate the change in the proportion of participants categorized as food insecure from the beginning to the end of the intervention. |
| Change in Self-Reported Daily Fruit and Vegetable Intake | Baseline (Week 0) and Study Completion (Week 8) | Fruit and vegetable intake is assessed using the 2-item NIH (National Institutes of Health) All-Day Fruit and Vegetable Screener. This tool asks participants to report the frequency of their consumption of 100% fruit juice and fruit, as well as vegetables (excluding fried potatoes), over the past month. Responses are converted into an estimated score of daily servings of fruits and vegetables. The study will evaluate the mean change in daily servings from baseline to the end of the intervention. |
| Change in Prime Diet Quality Score (PDQS) | Baseline (Week 0) and Study Completion (Week 8) | Diet quality is assessed using the 21-item Prime Diet Quality Score (PDQS). The PDQS measures the consumption frequency of 21 distinct food groups, which are categorized into 12 "healthy" food groups (e.g., green leafy vegetables, legumes, whole grains) and 9 "unhealthy" food groups (e.g., processed meats, sugar-sweetened beverages, fried foods). Scoring logic: \> \* For healthy food groups, higher consumption frequency receives a higher point value. For unhealthy food groups, higher consumption frequency receives a lower point value (points are penalized). The total score ranges from 0 to 42, where a higher score indicates better overall diet quality and higher alignment with a nutrient-dense dietary pattern. The study will evaluate the mean change in the total PDQS score from baseline to study completion. |
Countries
United States
Contacts
CONTACTJoachim D Sackey, PhD
PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATORJoachim D. Sackey, PhD
Rutgers Health, Rutgers University
Outcome results
None listed