Providing healthy food during pregnancy to reduce excess weight gain
Arkansas Community Engagement Alliance: Delivering Arkansas Perinatal Outcomes for Minority and Rural Women Through Innovative System Improvement to Create Equity
This study will test whether giving pregnant women extra funds to buy healthy foods during pregnancy helps prevent excessive gestational weight gain compared with standard counseling and support.
Quick facts
| Phase | Not applicable |
|---|---|
| Study type | Interventional |
| Enrollment | 400 (estimated) |
| Ages | 16 Years to 44 Years |
| Sex | Female |
| Sponsor | University of Arkansas Academic / other |
| Locations | 1 site (Springdale, Arkansas) |
| Trial ID | NCT06711627 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this trial studies
This is a randomized controlled trial enrolling 400 pregnant women who will be randomized 1:1 to a Food Provision arm or standard of care (SoC). Those in the Food Provision arm receive routine nutritional and weight-gain counseling plus $1,000 during pregnancy to purchase recommended healthy foods, while the SoC arm receives the same counseling and $500 after delivery for baby items. The primary outcome is the proportion of women who experience excessive gestational weight gain. The study is conducted at the UAMS Institute for Community Health Innovation in Springdale, Arkansas, and includes participants up to 22 weeks' gestation who speak English, Spanish, or Marshallese.
Who should consider this trial
Good fit: Ideal candidates are pregnant people aged 16–44 who are ≤22 weeks' gestation, speak English, Spanish, or Marshallese, have a valid email address, and reside in and plan to give birth in Arkansas.
Not a fit: People beyond 22 weeks' gestation, those who do not live in or plan to deliver in Arkansas, or those whose excess weight gain is driven primarily by medical conditions unlikely to respond to dietary support may not benefit from this intervention.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, providing dedicated funds for healthy foods during pregnancy could lower the number of women who gain excessive weight during pregnancy.
How similar studies have performed: Previous programs that provided food, vouchers, or nutritional support in pregnancy have shown mixed but sometimes promising effects on diet quality and weight outcomes, so evidence is encouraging but not definitive.
Eligibility criteria
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * Aged 16-44 years * \<= 22 weeks Pregnant * Speak English, Spanish, or Marshallese * Valid email address * Resides in and plans to give birth in the state of Arkansas
Where this trial is running
Springdale, Arkansas
- UAMS Institute for Community Health Innovation — Springdale, Arkansas, United States (Recruiting)
Study contacts
- Study coordinator: Brett Rowland
- Email: mbrowland@uams.edu
- Phone: 479-713-8000
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.