
An apple a day may be just what the doctor ordered. New research on “produce prescription” programs finds that when access to free fruits and vegetables is offered, recipients see measurable benefits in health and hunger. “To me, this shows that there’s a very strong proof of concept behind produce prescriptions and this should, I think, add to the growing momentum to continue to expand access to these programs, but in particular, to increase the quality and the robustness of the evaluations,” said first author Kurt Hager, who did the study as a doctoral student in nutrition science and policy at Tufts University in Boston. He is now an instructor at University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School. The study, published Aug. 29 in Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes, included people at risk for heart disease. Each received gift cards or vouchers for free produce at retail grocers or farmers markets. When participants ate more fruits and vegetables as part of a produce prescription program, their blood sugar and blood pressure improved, the study found. Some also lost weight. Food insecurity — lacking reliable access to enough food — can cause stress, anxiety and poor diet, which all have a big impact on health, Hager said. Some people may decide to forgo good-quality food in order to pay for housing, utilities and medications. Produce prescriptions aren’t… read on > read on >