Food is Medicine Intervention to Promote Healthy Eating and Blood Pressure Control
Official title: FIM+DASH: Food is Medicine Intervention to Promote Healthy Eating and Blood Pressure Control
Run by University of Illinois Chicago · NCT07332741 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A 24-week program tests whether a food-as-medicine approach (FIM+DASH) helps adults with hypertension and obesity lower blood pressure and improve eating patterns compared with usual care.
Quick facts
| Phase | Phase 2 |
|---|---|
| Study type | Interventional |
| Sex | All |
| Enrollment | 150 (estimated) |
| Sponsor | University of Illinois Chicago Academic / other |
| Locations | 4 sites (Chicago, Illinois and 3 other locations) |
| Status | Recruiting |
| Started | May 22, 2026 |
| Main results expected | June 30, 2030 |
| Study ends | September 2030 |
| Registry record updated | July 10, 2026 |
| Trial ID | NCT07332741 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
Is this trial a fit for you?
✓Likely a good fit
Adults ≥18 with hypertension and BMI ≥30 kg/m² who can read/speak English and use a smartphone.
✕Probably not a fit
Participants who cannot adhere to DASH or who require dietary restrictions incompatible with the intervention may not benefit.
A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.
What this trial studies
This Phase 2 interventional trial randomizes adults with hypertension and obesity to either the FIM+DASH program or usual care for 24 weeks (12 weeks of active intervention followed by 12 weeks of maintenance). The study leverages clinic–community partnerships to deliver home food delivery and culinary skill-building, with in-person and on-demand content on DASH adherence, diet quality, and hypertension self-management. Key outcomes include blood pressure, DASH adherence, body weight, and waist circumference, plus factors affecting real-world sustainability and scalability. The intervention emphasizes nutrition professional support, cooking skills, education, and ongoing home-delivered foods to support long-term behavior change.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, participants may see lower blood pressure, better weight management, and improved ability to maintain a DASH-style diet.
How similar studies have gone: Prior dietary-intervention studies with clinic–community partnerships have shown improvements in diet quality and BP, supporting potential benefit for this approach.
Who can join: the full rules
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * Adults aged ≥18 years; diagnosis of hypertension in Electronic health record or most recent clinic blood pressure meeting inclusion thresholds (systolic blood pressure ≥130 mmHg and/or diastolic blood pressure ≥80 mmHg); BMI ≥30 kg/m²; able and willing to complete survey instruments and assessment procedures; able to speak/read English; access to a smartphone with text-messaging capability. Exclusion Criteria: * inability to speak/read English; cognitive impairment that precludes informed consent or participation; severe food allergies or medically necessary dietary restrictions that would preclude adoption of a DASH eating pattern; inability to cook at home; current treatment for cancer; self-reported history of a recent major cardiovascular event within the past 12 months (myocardial infarction, cerebrovascular accident, cardiac surgery, or hypertensive emergency); known advanced liver or renal disease; severe mental illness that would preclude participation; pregnancy. Individuals with lactose intolerance will not be excluded because low-lactose alternatives are available within the intervention.
Where it's running
-
Mile Square Health Center - South Shore
Chicago, Illinois, United States Recruiting -
Mile Square Health Center Chicago
Chicago, Illinois, United States Not yet recruiting -
Mile Square Health Center - Auburn Gresham
Chicago, Illinois, United States Not yet recruiting -
Mile Square Health Center - Englewood
Chicago, Illinois, United States Not yet recruiting
Similar studies
Other studies for the same condition or treatment. Recruiting studies are listed first.
-
High BMI and periodontitis in Thai adults under 60
This study tests how common high BMI and periodontitis are among Thai adults aged 18–59 and what factors are linked to them.
-
Beetroot extract effects on blood pressure and muscle oxygen during exercise in older women with high blood pressure
This trial will test whether a beetroot supplement taken before exercise lowers blood pressure and improves muscle oxygen levels in women aged 60 to 70 with high blood pressure.
-
Monitoring progression of chronic cardiovascular conditions
This project will collect wearable physiologic data from adults with cardiovascular conditions to see how their heart disease changes over time.
-
Standard care versus weight loss with tirzepatide for obesity-related high blood pressure in young adults
This project will test whether weight loss achieved with tirzepatide lowers blood pressure more than usual care in 18–40-year-olds who are overweight and have hypertension.
-
Personalized daily step targets to change body fat and cardiometabolic risk in adults with overweight or obesity
This project will test if giving personalized daily step targets based on body fat helps adults with overweight or obesity change body composition and lower cardiometabolic risk.
-
Using low-dose aspirin after preeclampsia to improve recovery
This study is testing if taking low-dose aspirin for six months after having preeclampsia can help new moms recover better by improving their blood pressure and blood vessel function.
How to take part
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
- Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.