P3.205: A Produce Prescription Project in Southwest Denver to Address Food Insecurity and Obesity: Community Engagement Successes & Opportunities

Background: Children with obesity face an increased risk for developing chronic diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and fatty liver disease. In response to these trends, there has been momentum among Produce Prescription Programs (PPPs). Evidence suggests that PPPs can play a crucial role in improving personal health and dietary practices. We partnered with a local community organization to improve access to fresh produce for families living in Southwest Denver by providing a weekly PPP to patients at a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC). The goal of this intervention was to assist patients facing food insecurity or obesity-related health conditions and improve their long-term health by increasing access to fresh fruits/vegetables.

Project Description: This project involved a 12-week PPP from July to October 2024 at a FQHC located in Southwest Denver. We partnered with a local organization, Re:Vision, who supplied weekly boxes filled with fresh produce grown at their urban farms. Participants had to be patients at the FQHC and have a child < 18 in the household. Physician staff recruited families who had a child with elevated BMI/obesity as well as food insecurity. Participants completed a pre-survey including demographic and descriptive data. Chart review was performed to further describe the population. Participants who received 3 or more food boxes completed a post-survey to determine program success. Quantitative data was analyzed to compare paired pre-/post-surveys and qualitative data through coding/grouping. This project was reviewed by our Quality Improvement Review Committee and was determined not to be human subjects research.

Discussion: We recruited 80 initial participants into the program. Participants were majority Spanish-speaking (57.5%), with Medicaid primary insurance (61%). Of respondents, 37.5% were receiving WIC and 56.3% reported food insecurity. Post-survey data demonstrated large success in the program, with 69% of participants reporting their children consumed more vegetables than before the program and 94% reported they would likely sign up for the program again. Qualitative analysis of participant feedback highlighted the freshness and quality of the produce, having vegetables from a trusted organization, and improved ability to incorporate vegetables into meals. Surveys demonstrated an interest in educational materials surrounding healthy cooking and nutrition, and that limiting factors in using fresh produce was due to cost, availability, and quality.

Conclusion: PPPs can be an effective strategy for increasing fruit/vegetable intake by providing direct produce to patients at risk of obesity-related conditions. This project provides an example of leveraging an existing community partnership to expand upon a shared goal of improving healthy lifestyle practices and supporting a local food economy. Next steps will be assessment of laboratory data to determine metabolic changes because of our PPP, distribution of educational materials, and focus groups to determine culturally appropriate language surrounding obesity to inform clinical practices in our community.