Erschienen in:
12.11.2018 | Original Research
Medically Tailored Meal Delivery for Diabetes Patients with Food Insecurity: a Randomized Cross-over Trial
verfasst von:
Seth A. Berkowitz, MD MPH, Linda M. Delahanty, MS RDN, Jean Terranova, JD, Barbara Steiner, EdM, Melanie P. Ruazol, BA, Roshni Singh, BS, Naysha N. Shahid, BA, Deborah J. Wexler, MD MSc
Erschienen in:
Journal of General Internal Medicine
|
Ausgabe 3/2019
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Abstract
Background
Food insecurity, defined as inconsistent food access owing to cost, leads to poor health.
Objective
To test whether a medically tailored meal delivery program improved dietary quality in individuals with type 2 diabetes and food insecurity.
Design
Randomized cross-over clinical trial.
Participants
Forty-four adults with diabetes, hemoglobin A1c > 8.0%, and food insecurity (defined as at least one positive item on the two-item “Hunger Vital Sign”).
Intervention
In the Community Servings: Food as Medicine for Diabetes cross-over clinical trial (NCT02426138), conducted from June 2015 to July 2017, we randomly assigned the order of “on-meals” (home delivery of 10 meals/week for 12 weeks delivered by Community Servings, a non-profit organization) and “off-meals” (12 weeks usual care and a Choose MyPlate healthy eating brochure) periods.
Main Measures
The primary outcome was Healthy Eating Index 2010 score (HEI), assessed by three 24-h food recalls in both periods. Higher HEI score (range 0–100; clinically significant difference 5) represents better dietary quality. Secondary outcomes included food insecurity and self-reported hypoglycemia.
Key Results
Mean “on-meal” HEI score was 71.3 (SD 7.5) while mean “off-meal” HEI score was 39.9 (SD 7.8) (difference 31.4 points, p < 0.0001). Participants experienced improvements in almost all sub-categories of HEI score, with increased consumption of vegetables, fruits, and whole grains and decreased solid fats, alcohol, and added sugar consumption. Participants also reported lower food insecurity (42% “on-meal” vs. 62% “off-meal,” p = 0.047), less hypoglycemia (47% “on-meal” vs. 64% “off-meal,” p = 0.03), and fewer days where mental health interfered with quality of life (5.65 vs. 9.59 days out of 30, p = 0.03).
Conclusions
For food-insecure individuals with diabetes, medically tailored meals improved dietary quality and food insecurity and reduced hypoglycemia. Longer-term studies should evaluate effects on diabetes control (e.g., hemoglobin A1c) and patient-reported outcomes (e.g., well-being).