Produce-prescription program to support healthy eating for families in rural North Carolina
PhytoRx Families: A Pilot Test Study to Address Food Security and Fruit and Vegetable Intake in Rural North Carolina
This program will try giving families in specified rural North Carolina counties regular boxes of fresh produce plus nutrition education to see if parents and their 8–14-year-old children eat more fruits and vegetables and improve health measures.
Quick facts
| Phase | Not applicable |
|---|---|
| Study type | Interventional |
| Enrollment | 30 (estimated) |
| Ages | 8 Years to 64 Years |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | North Carolina State University Academic / other |
| Locations | 1 site (Raleigh, North Carolina) |
| Trial ID | NCT07221045 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this trial studies
PhytoRx Families is a pilot produce-prescription program that provides regular boxes of fresh fruits and vegetables combined with direct nutrition education to adult–child dyads in five rural North Carolina counties. The study will enroll about 30 caregiver–child pairs (children aged 8–14) and use the ASA24 dietary recall to measure change in fruit and vegetable intake as the primary outcome. Secondary outcomes include blood pressure, glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), height and weight (for BMI), and changes in healthcare utilization. Recruitment is limited to participants served at participating clinics and materials/classes are offered in English or Spanish.
Who should consider this trial
Good fit: Adults who are parents or caregivers of 8–14-year-old children, live in Bertie, Halifax, Lenoir, Northampton, or Wayne counties, receive care at a participating clinic, are at risk of food insecurity, and can participate in English or Spanish nutrition sessions are ideal candidates.
Not a fit: People who are not at risk of food insecurity, live outside the listed counties, cannot receive or use fresh-produce boxes, or cannot fully participate in the education sessions are unlikely to benefit from this program.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the program could increase produce consumption, improve cardiovascular and metabolic measures, and reduce healthcare utilization for participating rural families.
How similar studies have performed: Other produce-prescription programs have shown modest improvements in fruit and vegetable intake and some cardiometabolic markers in select settings, but overall evidence is still limited and mixed.
Eligibility criteria
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * Fluent in English or Spanish (speaking, reading, writing) * An adult (18 years of age or older) who's a parent or caregiver of a child ages 8 to 14 years old or a child ages 8 to 14 years old * Served at participating clinic in a county where the program is being implemented (Goldsboro Pediatrics, Bertie County Rural Health Association, and Roanoke Chowan Community Health in Bertie, Halifax, Lenoir, Northampton, or Wayne Counties) * Living in a county where the program is being implemented (Bertie, Halifax, Lenoir, Northampton, or Wayne Counties) * Free living to the extent they are able to receive and use a box of fresh produce and participate in direct nutrition education classes * Willing and able to provide written consent and participate in all study activities. Exclusion Criteria: * Adults not at risk of food insecurity * Adults, who are not parents nor caregivers of a child 8 to 14 years * Adults who do not want to or could not fully participate (e.g., an adult family member with advanced kidney disease with severe dietary restrictions).
Where this trial is running
Raleigh, North Carolina
- North Carolina State University — Raleigh, North Carolina, United States (Recruiting)
Study contacts
- Principal investigator: Basheerah Enahora, PhD — North Carolina State University
- Study coordinator: Basheerah Enahora, PhD
- Email: benahor@ncsu.edu
- Phone: 9195159125
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.