A Multilevel Intervention in the Hunger Relief Network to Improve Diet Among Adults Experiencing Food Insecurity

NCT ID: NCT03421106

Last Updated: 2023-02-09

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: TERMINATED
• Clinical Phase: NA
• Total Enrollment: 504 participants
• Study Classification: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2018-02-05
• Study Completion Date: 2020-11-16

Brief Summary

The investigator proposes an evaluation of a randomized, sustainable intervention in 8 intervention and 8 control pantries. We will enroll a sample clients at the food pantry at baseline and follow them for 1 year to assess changes in overall diet quality (the primary outcome) and cardiovascular health. We will also enroll a sample of clients at follow-up to assess to assess the nutritional quality of food selected at the pantry.

Detailed Description

Evaluate the health impact of an intervention targeting the hunger relief network and the clients with food insecurity it serves. The long-term goal of this work is to reduce nutrition-related health disparities by intervening on a system that serves individuals at high risk for chronic disease. In 2014, an estimated 14% of U.S. households experienced food insecurity (i.e., they lacked access to enough food for an active, healthy life for all household members). Large numbers of low-income, racial/ethnic minority, and immigrant families who experience food insecurity rely on a hunger relief network that includes food banks and food pantries. Pantry clients have demonstrated poor nutritional outcomes, high chronic disease rates, and dissatisfaction with the quality and cultural-appropriateness of food offered. Unlike other food assistance programs, there are currently no standards on the nutritional quality of pantry offerings, but recent work by our study team demonstrated the need to improve the healthfulness of hunger relief network inventory. We proposed an evaluation of a randomized, sustainable intervention in 8 intervention and 8 control pantries. We will enroll clients at baseline and follow them for 1 year to assess changes in overall diet quality (the primary outcome). Working with our food bank partners, the intervention at the pantry level targets the supply of nutritious foods. At the client level, the intervention targets healthy food demand. Measured outcomes include overall diet quality (the primary outcome), as assessed by the Healthy Eating Index-2015 (HEI), the nutritional quality of foods selected at the food shelf visit, and cardiovascular disease health (assessed by the American Heart Association's Life's Simple 7 scores). The study will also evaluate the impact of a multilevel intervention on the nutritional quality of pantry offerings. The study also aims to improve implementation of practices that promote a nutrition-focused hunger relief network.

Conditions

Food Selection

Study Design

• Allocation Method: RANDOMIZED
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Primary Study Purpose: PREVENTION
• Blinding Strategy: NONE

Study Groups

Intervention Food Pantries

Food pantries will transform to offer healthier and more appealing food ; the effect on clients will be measured.

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

Intervention Food Pantries

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

Food pantries will receive consulting services to transform their food offerings and environment in order to influence client health behaviors.

Control Food Pantries

Food pantries will make no changes during the evaluation period; the effect on clients will be measured.

Group Type: ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

Control Food Pantries

Intervention Type: OTHER

Normal food pantry use

Interventions

Intervention Food Pantries

Food pantries will receive consulting services to transform their food offerings and environment in order to influence client health behaviors.

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

Control Food Pantries

Normal food pantry use

Intervention Type: OTHER

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

-≥18 years old

• Mentally capable of consent and participation
• Speak English, Spanish, or Somali
• Have access to a phone

Exclusion Criteria

• Not capable of consent or participation
• Speak only languages other than English, Spanish or Somali
• Not a food pantry user

• Minimum Eligible Age: 18 Years
• Maximum Eligible Age: 99 Years
• Eligible Sex: ALL
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Sponsors

University of Connecticut

OTHER

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

Caitlin Caspi

Associate Professor

Responsibility Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Principal Investigators

Caitlin E Caspi, ScD

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

University of Connecticut

Locations

University of Minnesota

Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States

Countries

United States

References

Caspi C, Gordon N, Bliss Barsness C, Bohen L, Canterbury M, Peterson H, Wolfson J, Pratt R. A randomized study of food pantry environment-level change following the SuperShelf intervention. Transl Behav Med. 2022 Jul 7;12(6):764-774. doi: 10.1093/tbm/ibac003.

Reference Type: DERIVED

PMID: 35666208 (View on PubMed)

Provided Documents

Document Type: Study Protocol and Statistical Analysis Plan

View Document

Document Type: Informed Consent Form

View Document

Other Identifiers

H20-0076

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id