A Multilevel Intervention in the Hunger Relief Network to Improve Diet Among Adults Experiencing Food Insecurity (SuperShelf)

University of Connecticut

Status: Terminated

Conditions: Food Selection

Treatments: Other: Control Food Pantries; Behavioral: Intervention Food Pantries

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT03421106

H20-0076

Details and patient eligibility

About

The investigator proposes an evaluation of a randomized, sustainable intervention in 8 intervention and 8 control pantries. We will enroll a sample clients at the food pantry at baseline and follow them for 1 year to assess changes in overall diet quality (the primary outcome) and cardiovascular health. We will also enroll a sample of clients at follow-up to assess to assess the nutritional quality of food selected at the pantry.

Full description

Evaluate the health impact of an intervention targeting the hunger relief network and the clients with food insecurity it serves. The long-term goal of this work is to reduce nutrition-related health disparities by intervening on a system that serves individuals at high risk for chronic disease. In 2014, an estimated 14% of U.S. households experienced food insecurity (i.e., they lacked access to enough food for an active, healthy life for all household members). Large numbers of low-income, racial/ethnic minority, and immigrant families who experience food insecurity rely on a hunger relief network that includes food banks and food pantries. Pantry clients have demonstrated poor nutritional outcomes, high chronic disease rates, and dissatisfaction with the quality and cultural-appropriateness of food offered. Unlike other food assistance programs, there are currently no standards on the nutritional quality of pantry offerings, but recent work by our study team demonstrated the need to improve the healthfulness of hunger relief network inventory. We proposed an evaluation of a randomized, sustainable intervention in 8 intervention and 8 control pantries. We will enroll clients at baseline and follow them for 1 year to assess changes in overall diet quality (the primary outcome). Working with our food bank partners, the intervention at the pantry level targets the supply of nutritious foods. At the client level, the intervention targets healthy food demand. Measured outcomes include overall diet quality (the primary outcome), as assessed by the Healthy Eating Index-2015 (HEI), the nutritional quality of foods selected at the food shelf visit, and cardiovascular disease health (assessed by the American Heart Association's Life's Simple 7 scores). The study will also evaluate the impact of a multilevel intervention on the nutritional quality of pantry offerings. The study also aims to improve implementation of practices that promote a nutrition-focused hunger relief network.

Enrollment: 504 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18 to 99 years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

-≥18 years old

• Mentally capable of consent and participation
• Speak English, Spanish, or Somali
• Have access to a phone

Exclusion criteria

• Not capable of consent or participation
• Speak only languages other than English, Spanish or Somali
• Not a food pantry user

Trial design

Primary purpose: Prevention

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

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504 participants in 2 patient groups

Intervention Food Pantries

Experimental group

Description:

Food pantries will transform to offer healthier and more appealing food ; the effect on clients will be measured.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Intervention Food Pantries

Control Food Pantries

Active Comparator group

Description:

Food pantries will make no changes during the evaluation period; the effect on clients will be measured.

Treatment:

Other: Control Food Pantries