Providing tailored produce boxes and nutrition education for Veterans with chronic kidney disease
Supporting VETerans With Kidney Disease Through Food As Medicine: the Community-based VET FAM Study
This pilot will test whether delivering culturally and medically tailored produce boxes plus nutrition education helps Veterans with stage 3b–4 chronic kidney disease who have food or nutrition insecurity.
Quick facts
| Phase | Not applicable |
|---|---|
| Study type | Interventional |
| Enrollment | 20 (estimated) |
| Ages | 18 Years and up |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | VA Eastern Colorado Health Care System Federal |
| Locations | 1 site (Aurora, Colorado) |
| Trial ID | NCT07194733 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this trial studies
This pilot will enroll up to 20 Veterans with stage 3b–4 CKD who screen positive for nutrition insecurity and live in the Food Bank of the Rockies service area. Participants will receive medically and culturally tailored food boxes and nutrition education, with clinical and patient-reported outcomes collected at baseline, 3 months, and 6 months. The study includes semi-structured interviews to capture Veterans' experiences, acceptability, and perceived barriers or facilitators. Data will include quantitative measures of nutrition security, diet quality, and kidney-related clinical markers alongside qualitative thematic analysis.
Who should consider this trial
Good fit: Ideal candidates are Veterans aged 18 or older with CKD stage 3b or 4 who screen positive for nutrition insecurity, receive care at the VA, reside in the Food Bank of the Rockies service area, and can consent in English.
Not a fit: Patients with earlier-stage CKD (stage 1–3a), those with stage 5 CKD/ESRD on dialysis or with a kidney transplant, people not experiencing nutrition insecurity, or those living outside the service area are unlikely to benefit from this program.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the intervention could improve diet quality, reduce food insecurity, and support better kidney-related health outcomes for participating Veterans.
How similar studies have performed: Food-as-medicine and produce-box programs have shown promise for improving diet quality and food security in other chronic diseases, but CKD-specific evidence is limited and this approach remains relatively novel for kidney care.
Eligibility criteria
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * Age 18+ * CKD stage 3b or 4 * Positive screen for nutrition insecurity (e.g., Tufts screener) * Receiving care at the VA and residing in Food Bank of the Rockies service area * Ability to provide informed consent, English Exclusion Criteria: * Stage 1-3a CKD and stage 5 CKD/ESRD (dialysis or transplant) * Currently enrolled in a conflicting dietary trial * Unwilling or unable to provide informed consent
Where this trial is running
Aurora, Colorado
- Rocky Mountain Regional VA Medical Center — Aurora, Colorado, United States (Recruiting)
Study contacts
- Principal investigator: Luis M Perez, PhD, RD — US Department of Veterans Affairs
- Study coordinator: Luis M Perez, PhD, RD
- Email: luis.perez2@va.gov
- Phone: 720-467-0757
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.