Enjoying affordable, tasty meals together
PROJECT EATT: Enjoying Affordable and Tasty Food Together
This pilot will test whether providing meal kits plus tailored nutrition education helps lower-income adults aged 40 and older with obesity and cardiometabolic risk improve food security, diet quality, stress, quality of life, and heart-related risk factors compared with general nutrition materials.
Quick facts
| Phase | Not applicable |
|---|---|
| Study type | Interventional |
| Enrollment | 120 (estimated) |
| Ages | 40 Years and up |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | University of Massachusetts, Lowell Academic / other |
| Locations | 1 site (Lowell, Massachusetts) |
| Trial ID | NCT07036757 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this trial studies
This pilot interventional program provides meal kits along with culturally relevant nutrition education to lower-income adults aged 40+ with BMI over 30 and at least one cardiometabolic risk factor, and compares outcomes to a group receiving general nutrition materials. The study will measure acceptability and satisfaction, participation rates in the education program, and changes in food insecurity, dietary quality, cooking self-efficacy, psychosocial health, quality of life, and cardiometabolic markers. Data will be collected through questionnaires, participation tracking, and clinical measures, and analyzed to determine feasibility and preliminary impact. The goal is to inform larger trials by identifying whether meal kits plus education increase engagement and produce measurable health benefits in this population.
Who should consider this trial
Good fit: Ideal candidates are adults aged 40 or older with household income at or below 200% of the federal poverty level, BMI >30 kg/m2, at least one cardiometabolic condition (e.g., high blood pressure or elevated glucose), access to refrigeration, and residency in the Greater Lowell area.
Not a fit: People under 40, those who do not meet the income, BMI, or cardiometabolic criteria, those without safe refrigeration or unwilling to participate in cooking/education activities, and individuals living outside the delivery region are unlikely to benefit from this program.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the intervention could reduce food insecurity, improve diet quality and cooking confidence, and lower stress and cardiometabolic risk in lower-income adults.
How similar studies have performed: Pre-made meal programs have shown benefit for disease-specific outcomes like diabetes, but combining meal kits with tailored nutrition education—especially with cultural relevance—is less tested and remains largely exploratory.
Eligibility criteria
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * Adults aged 40 years and older. * Household income at or less than the 200% the federal poverty level (household size 1: $30,120, household size 2: $40,880, household size 3: $51,640, household size 4: $62,400, and household size 5: $73,160) * Willing to provide informed consent and complete the study requirements, including attending study visits and completing questionnaires. * Access to a refrigerator or other means to safely store perishable food, as the meal kits require refrigeration. * BMI \> 30 kg/m2 and self-report having at least one of the following: elevated blood pressure or hypertension, elevated glucose, prediabetes or diabetes. * Reside in the Greater Lowell area or surrounding regions to ensure feasibility of meal kit delivery and data collection. Exclusion Criteria: * Less than 40 years old * Does not have BMI \>30 kg/m2, elevated blood pressure or hypertension, or elevated glucose, prediabetes or diabetes * Not able to provide consent (adults lacking capacity) * Follow a medically restricted diet or have allergies to wheat, soy, or dairy * Plans to move from the Greater Lowell area within the next 12 months * Live outside the Greater Lowell area because this will impact meal kit delivery * Individuals without a working refrigerator in your household * Have a serious medical condition requiring a doctor's care including cancer, chronic kidney disease and/or celiac disease * Currently part of a study on diabetes, cardiovascular disease, nutrition or weight-loss * Currently taking any weight loss medication like Ozempic, or medication for diabetes, dyslipidemia or hypertension * Currently using a continuous glucose monitor
Where this trial is running
Lowell, Massachusetts
- University of Massachusetts Lowell — Lowell, Massachusetts, United States (Recruiting)
Study contacts
- Study coordinator: Sabrina Noel, PhD
- Email: sabrina_noel@uml.edu
- Phone: 978 934 6459
How to participate
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Visit the official trial page on ClinicalTrials.gov for the most current contact information and recruitment status.
- Contact the listed study coordinator or principal investigator to request pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.