Feasibility and Impact of the FOOD4MOMS Produce Prescription Program Among Pregnant Latina Women (FOOD4MOMS)

The study will include women enrolled during the second trimester of pregnancy who will be provided with a specific amount per month for 10 months to purchase produce. Women will be provided with up to three nutrition education sessions and will be sent text message reminders to redeem their incentives every month and to provide them with nutrition tips. The study will use a co-design approach to utilize feedback from potential participants as well as participants at multiple time points in the process to improve the intervention and make it more relevant and impactful to our population.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Food Insecurity; Food Preferences; Food Selection
• Intervention / Treatment: Behavioral: Produce purchase incentive

Detailed Description

This protocol describes the implementation of an intervention to improve access to fruits and vegetables among pregnant Latina women in Hartford CT in partnership with Wholesome Wave of Bridgeport CT, a national leader in nutrition incentive programming and policy.

The target population are pregnant Latina women living in Hartford CT. Having access to the right foods as well as enough food during pregnancy promotes optimal fetal development. A prescription program that provides increased fruit and vegetable access to low-income pregnant women can help improve the diet of women during pregnancy.

Nutrition education sessions (either virtual or in person) will be attended by all participants with one session required and up to two additional sessions optional.

Fruits and vegetables may be purchased at diverse community locations or online for home delivery.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 154
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• United States
  • Connecticut
    • Hartford, Connecticut, United States, 06106
      • Hispanic Health Council

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Adult; Older Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• during first or second trimester of pregnancy
• live in the city of Hartford
• low income (participating or enrolled in WIC, SNAP or Medicaid)
• speak English or Spanish.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Any individual not meeting any of this criterion will be excluded from the study.

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Other
• Allocation: N/A
• Interventional Model: Single Group Assignment
• Masking: None (Open Label)

Number of Arms

1

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: pregnant Latina women; Pregnant Latina women in Hartford CT enrolled during the first or second trimester of pregnancy. Participants will be provided with up to three nutrition education sessions and will be sent text message reminders to redeem their incentives every month and to provide them with nutrition tips.	Behavioral: Produce purchase incentive; Participants will be provided with a specific incentive amount per month for 10 months to purchase produce, nutrition education sessions and will be sent text message reminders to redeem their incentives every month and to provide them with nutrition tips.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Change in amount of produce purchased or accessed	The amount of produce purchased or accessed will be asses using a self-report survey. An increase in produce purchased or accessed indicates a positive outcome.	baseline and month 10
Change in Produce Intake	Change in Produce Intake will be assessed using a self-report survey. An increase in produce intake indicates a positive outcome.	baseline and month 10

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Change in household food insecurity	Change in household food insecurity assessed using a self-report survey. Less food insecurity indicates a positive outcome.	baseline and month 10

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Yale University
• Collaborators: Hispanic Health Council, Inc.; Wholesome Wave
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Rafael Pérez-Escamilla, PhD, Yale University

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): August 1, 2023
• Primary Completion (Actual): August 31, 2025
• Study Completion (Actual): August 31, 2025

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: June 7, 2023
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: June 7, 2023
• First Posted (Actual): June 18, 2023

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): March 16, 2026
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: March 13, 2026
• Last Verified: March 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Behavior; Feeding Behavior; Food Preferences
• Other Study ID Numbers: 2000034840

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: NO

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No