New Research Links Free Fruit and Vegetable Prescriptions to Improved Cardiovascular Health

New Research Links Free Fruit and Vegetable Prescriptions to Improved Cardiovascular Health

A recent study published in the journal Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes reveals a positive correlation between prescriptions for complimentary fruits and vegetables and improved markers for cardiovascular health, such as reduced blood pressure, lower blood sugar, and a healthier body mass index (BMI).

The study indicates that adults predisposed to heart disease showed significant health improvements after participating in produce prescription programs for an average duration of six months. These programs also seemed to mitigate food insecurity and enhance self-reported health statuses in both adults and children.

Health Advantages of Produce Prescription Programs

Participants with elevated risk for cardiovascular diseases increased their consumption of fruits and vegetables through produce prescription programs, resulting in better BMI, blood sugar, and blood pressure levels, as well as reduced food insecurity. The findings were featured in Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes, a scholarly publication of the American Heart Association.

These prescription programs authorize physicians to include fruits and vegetables as part of their medical prescriptions. Patients are given electronic cards or vouchers to acquire free or discounted produce from retail grocery stores or farmers’ markets, according to the study’s lead author, Dr. Kurt Hager, Ph.D., M.S., who is also an instructor at UMass Chan Medical School in Worcester, Massachusetts.

The study is particularly noteworthy as it amalgamates data from nine different produce prescription programs across the United States, making it the most extensive research of its kind to evaluate health outcomes over approximately six months.

Dr. Hager, who conducted these analyses during his time as a doctoral student at the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University, commented, “The data suggest that produce prescriptions could serve as a foundational strategy for improving public health and overall well-being.”

Study Methodology and Findings

Participants in the study were provided an average of $63 per month to purchase produce. They also attended nutritional classes. Before and after the program, which varied in length from 4 to 10 months, participants filled out surveys about their eating habits, food security, and overall health. Blood pressure, weight, height, and hemoglobin A1c levels— a metric for blood sugar—were routinely tested.

The comprehensive analysis revealed:

• Adult participants increased their daily consumption of fruits and vegetables by nearly one cup (0.85 cups per day). Children increased their intake by approximately a quarter of a cup per day (0.26 cups per day).
• Among adults with initially high blood pressure, systolic blood pressure reduced by more than 8 mm Hg, and diastolic pressure declined by nearly 5 mm Hg.
• Adults with diabetes saw a decline in their HbA1C levels, ranging from 0.29 to 0.58 percentage points.
• BMI improved notably, showing a reduction of 0.52 kg/m2 among adults with obesity. However, no significant change was observed in children.
• Adults were 62% more likely, and children were over twice as likely, to report improved health by the end of the program.
• Participants were one-third less likely to report food insecurity post-program compared to pre-program levels.

Mitchell Elkind, M.D., M.S., FAHA, and Chief Clinical Science Officer of the American Heart Association, emphasized that poor nutrition is a significant factor in chronic diseases worldwide, including cardiometabolic conditions such as Type 2 diabetes and its cardiovascular implications.

The Food is Medicine Initiative, recently announced by the American Heart Association and The Rockefeller Foundation, aims to support trials and ensure patients receive medical prescriptions for healthy food to prevent and manage chronic diseases.

Additional Context

Poor nutrition was linked to nearly 8 million deaths in 2019, according to American Heart Association statistics. Food insecurity is defined as the uneven and unstable availability, affordability, and access to foods that support well-being and combat disease.

Study Limitations

The research encompassed 1,817 children and 2,064 adults participating in one of nine programs operated by the non-profit organization, Wholesome Wave, from 2014 to 2020. The study did acknowledge several limitations, such as the absence of a control group, incomplete survey data in some instances, and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on certain programs.

Reference

The study, titled “Impact of Produce Prescriptions on Diet, Food Security, and Cardiometabolic Health Outcomes: A Multisite Evaluation of 9 Produce Prescription Programs in the United States,” was authored by Kurt Hager, Mengxi Du, Zhongyu Li, Dariush Mozaffarian, Kenneth Chui, Peilin Shi, Brent Ling, Sean B. Cash, Sara C. Folta, and Fang Fang Zhang, and was published on August 29, 2023, in the journal Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes. DOI: 10.1161/CIRCOUTCOMES.122.009520

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Produce Prescription Programs

More about Produce Prescription Programs

• Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes Journal
• American Heart Association’s Food Is Medicine Initiative
• UMass Chan Medical School Faculty Profile: Kurt Hager, Ph.D., M.S.
• Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University
• The Rockefeller Foundation
• Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
• 2022 American Heart Association Policy Statement on Nutrition Security
• Wholesome Wave’s Produce Prescription Programs