Cluster-Randomized Controlled Trial to Evaluate a School-based Fruit and Vegetable Co-op Impact on Cardiometabolic Health of Children and Parents in a Persistent Poverty Area

What this Trial Is About

This research aims to evaluate the effects of the Brighter Bites (BB) intervention on children's cardiometabolic health and dietary habits in a persistent poverty area. Specifically, it compares changes in primary child outcomes such as HbA1c levels and vegetable intake between the intervention and a wait-list control group. The study also assesses secondary outcomes like household food security, parent and child dietary behaviors, and home availability of fruits and vegetables, while exploring how these factors influence child health outcomes over time. Participants in the intervention group receive fresh fruit and vegetable distributions of about 20 pounds per family for around 16 weeks during the school year, combined with nutrition education through the Coordinated Approach to Child Health (CATCH) program for children and bilingual nutrition handbooks plus healthy recipe tastings for parents and families. A delayed intervention group will receive the same Brighter Bites program after their study participation ends. The study includes follow-up assessments up to 21 months to observe long-term effects and dose-response relationships. During the study, children and parents undergo evaluations including measuring child HbA1c, vegetable intake using the VEGGIE METER®, blood pressure, and surveys assessing food security, dietary habits, and home fruit and vegetable availability. Data are collected at baseline, post-intervention at 9 months, and follow-up at 21 months. The study monitors changes in these health and behavioral measures to understand the impact of the intervention on diet, adiposity, and metabolic outcomes in children and parents.

Evaluating the Impact of a School-based Fruit and Vegetable Co-op on Cardiometabolic Child and Parents Health in a Persistent Poverty Area