Food delivery boosts produce use for seniors
Summary and headline written by AI from the source article. How we work
Researchers at the University at Buffalo found that delivering fresh produce directly to the homes of food-insecure adults over 65 dramatically increased their consumption of fruits and vegetables.
The study, conducted in Buffalo, New York, compared three groups of 67 mostly African American participants recruited from primary care clinics. One group received vouchers for a mobile market, while two groups received weekly deliveries, one of customized produce boxes and the other of meal kits including produce and ingredients.
Participants in the delivery groups consumed produce at a rate of 89.2 percent, a substantial increase from the 28.3 percent rate seen in the group using vouchers. Researchers believe low participation with vouchers stems from transportation issues or reluctance to use services associated with food pantries. The study also revealed that meal kits did not significantly improve produce consumption beyond the simple delivery of produce, as the participants already knew how to prepare it.
The program received high marks from participants, who rated it over 9 out of 10 and said they would recommend it to others. Researchers noted the positive impact of the delivery driver, Charles Humphrey, a community outreach coordinator, who built rapport with the participants. The team plans to repeat the study with families on Medicaid who have young children, to see if the same approach works for a different population.
