Produce Prescriptions and Veggie Meter Scores for College Food Security

Part of paid clinical trials in Newark, New Jersey.

Sponsor
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey
Study ID
NCT07511699
Status
Not Yet Recruiting

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Conditions

  • Carotenoid Status
  • Food Insecurity
  • Produce Prescription

Eligibility Criteria

Sex
ALL
Age
18 Years - N/A
Healthy Volunteers
Accepted

Interventions

  • Produce boxes — OTHER
    The Produce Prescription Program provides a weekly, box of fresh produce specifically curated for high carotenoid content (e.g., leafy greens, carrots, sweet potatoes, and tomatoes). Each box is accompanied by nutrition education materials, including seasonal recipes, storage tips, and preparation guides designed to increase participant food agency and cooking confidence. This intervention is distinguished by its focus on objective nutritional biomarkers; rather than relying solely on self-reported intake, the study utilizes reflection spectroscopy (Veggie Meter) to track changes in skin carotenoid levels at baseline (Week 0), midpoint (Week 4), and completion (Week 8). The contents of the boxes are seasonally dependent to ensure high nutrient density and to simulate a sustainable, real-world campus food-as-medicine model.

Study Details

The goal of this pilot intervention study is to learn if providing weekly produce boxes helps college students who struggle to afford healthy food. It will also test if this program is practical to run on a college campus. The main questions it aims to answer are: * Does receiving free produce boxes increase students' fruit and vegetable intake? * Does the program improve students' food security and nutrient levels in the skin? Researchers will measure skin carotenoids (a marker of healthy eating) using a non-invasive finger scan called a Veggie Meter to see if the produce boxes improve nutrition biomarkers. Participants will: * Receive one free box of fresh fruits and vegetables plus printed nutrition education materials every week for 8 weeks. * Visit the campus site at the start, week 4 and end of the study \[week 8\] for a finger scan, measure their weight and to complete surveys. * Provide feedback on their experience with the produce boxes and their food access.

Key Dates

Start date
Sep 30, 2026
Status verified
Apr 2026
Primary completion
Dec 31, 2026
Completion
Dec 31, 2026

Study Design

Enrollment
20 participants (estimated)
Allocation
NA
Intervention model
SINGLE_GROUP
Primary purpose
HEALTH_SERVICES_RESEARCH

Arms

  • Experimental: Produce prescription arm
    Participants receive one produce box per week for 8 consecutive weeks plus printed nutrition information. Each box contains approximately $40 worth of fresh fruits and vegetables selected for their high carotenoid content and dependent on seasonal availability. To monitor biological changes and adherence, participants undergo non-invasive skin carotenoid measurements using a Veggie Meter and complete surveys at baseline (Week 0), midpoint (Week 4), and study completion (Week 8).

Primary Outcome Measure

Change in Skin Carotenoid Score [ Time Frame: Baseline (Week 0) and Study Completion (Week 8) ]

Central Contacts

Locations (1)

FacilityCityStateZIPSite coordinators
Rutgers Health Food PantryNewarkNew Jersey07107
Joachim Sackey, PhD
[email protected]
9739726245
Joachim D. Sackey, PhD (PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR)

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By research site
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