University At Buffalo Campus Veggie Van Mobile Market

University at Buffalo

Status: Active, not recruiting

Conditions: Food Selection; Food Habits

Treatments: Behavioral: UB Campus Veggie Van

Study type: Observational

Funder types: Other; NIH

Identifiers

NCT06681909

R21MD019367 (U.S. NIH Grant/Contract)

1R21MD019367-01 (U.S. NIH Grant/Contract)

Details and patient eligibility

About

The goal of this observational study is to develop an adaptable mobile produce market model to be used on college campuses to increase college students' access to fresh fruits and vegetables. Food insecurity on college campuses threatens academic success and student well-being, and affects first generation, lower-income, and racial/ethnic minority students at higher rates. This research will include a pilot campus mobile market operated on the University at Buffalo campus. The main questions it aims to answer are: 1.) What makes it hard for students to eat healthy foods on the University at Buffalo campus, 2.) How does a mobile market need to operate on a college campus to best reach students, and 3.) What is the relationship between mobile market use and changes in how many fruits and vegetables students eat, students' ability to consistently eat foods that promote health and well-being, and participation in the Special Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).

Full description

As first-generation, low-income, and racial/ethnic minority students have improved their access to higher education, food insecurity in United States campuses has increased and threatens their academic success and well-being. College food pantries have been the most common solution but only offer short-term emergency relief, and stigma has prevented their use. To provide a longer-term evidence-based approach that honors students' choices and dignity, this research will inform the development of an adaptable campus mobile market model that consistently provides access to healthy food and promotes nutrition security. The clinical trial portion of the research will evaluate how intervention dosage, gauged by University at Buffalo Campus Veggie Van (UB Veggie Van) visits, total fruit and vegetable purchasing, and incentive redemption, is associated with changes in fruit and vegetable consumption (including skin carotenoids), nutrition security measures, and Special Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) enrollment from the beginning to the end of the semester.

Enrollment: 125 estimated patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18+ years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• current students at the University at Buffalo
• completed the online campus survey (Aim 1 of larger funded project)
• experienced food insecurity during Spring 2024
• undergraduate students
• at least 18 years of age
• speak English
• must plan to return to the University at Buffalo campus in Spring 2025.

Exclusion criteria

• non-students
• non-English speaking
• students who will not return to campus in Spring 2025
• graduate students

Trial design

125 participants in 1 patient group

Food Insecure Students

Description:

Undergraduate students who reported high to moderate food insecurity, are at least 18 years of age, speak English, and plan to return to the University at Buffalo campus in Spring 2025 will receive weekly fruit and vegetable incentives encouraging them to shop at the UB Veggie Van (intervention). They will complete incentivized data collection after 13 weeks of the intervention (incentives/access to UB Veggie Van).

Treatment:

Behavioral: UB Campus Veggie Van