Project Powerfood: Promoting Food Security, Equity, and Health

Project Powerfood: Promoting Food Security, Equity, and Health

Project Powerfood is a pilot program aimed at addressing food insecurity and food access in primary care through the implementation of a food prescription program in collaboration with a number of community partners. The objectives of this project are:

1. Implement screening for food insecurity in adult and pediatric primary care practices at Mount Sinai.

2. Provide fresh fruit and vegetable "prescriptions" to be redeemed for farm shares from local partner, the Corbin Hill Food Project. Prescriptions will provide 50% off of a fruit and vegetable box. Participants will have the option to purchase 2 boxes per month for 6 months.

3. Pilot prescriptions with 50 adult patients with poorly-controlled diabetes and 50 obese children who are food insecure and/or receive SNAP and/or WIC benefits. Examine/evaluate:

   1. Feasibility of program in a busy primary care practice
   2. Outcomes before and after the intervention (at baseline, 6 and 12 months), including diet, diabetes control, and body mass index (BMI)
   3. Outcomes in a comparison group (that will receive the food prescriptions beginning at 6 months)

Inclusion Criteria:

• Food insecure and/or receive SNAP and/or WIC
• Adult patients: poorly-controlled diabetes (hemoglobin A1c greater than 8.0%)
• Pediatric patients: obesity, ages 5-11
• Speak English or Spanish

Exclusion Criteria:

• Food secure and do not receive SNAP or WIC
• Adult Patients: do not have diabetes
• Pediatric Patients: not obese, under 5 years old or between 11 and 18
• Speak neither English or Spanish
• Severe kidney disease (Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD Stage IV or V)