Not quite about the built environment, but BEH member Eliza Kinsey was just awarded a grant from the University of Pennsylvania’s Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics to test the feasibility, acceptability, and likely effect of a produce prescription intervention on patient-centered outcomes, health behaviors and health outcomes among food insecure adults with stage 3 to 5 chronic kidney disease (CKD).

An estimated 25% of persons with CKD in the U.S. are food insecure, and they are 38% more likely to develop end stage kidney disease than food secure individuals with CKD. Evidence-based treatment to prevent CKD progression includes following a healthy diet rich in fruits and vegetables. However, patients with CKD report difficulty adhering to healthy dietary guidance because of the high cost of healthy foods. With this funding Eliza will launch a randomized controlled trial to examine the feasibility, acceptability, and likely effect of a produce prescription intervention. Participants in the intervention group will receive produce prescription vouchers redeemable at participating retailers for fresh fruits and vegetables. All study participants will be followed for changes to diet quality, food security, quality of life, and clinical outcomes.

Produce prescription programs have shown improved outcomes for people with other chronic conditions, but little research has examined their efficacy or feasibility in populations with kidney disease. The establishment of effective interventions to reduce food insecurity in the CKD population will enable advancements in uptake of evidence-based dietary treatment to prevent disease progression, improvement of health outcomes, and reductions in health disparities.

Eliza is an Assistant Professor of Family Medicine and Community Health at the Perelman School of Medicine and a Senior Fellow at the Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics.