The Effectiveness of Recipe4Health: A Quasi-Experimental Evaluation

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Nutrition Science
• Health Services Research

Background:

• Food as Medicine (FaM) is recognized for addressing food insecurity and chronic diseases.
• FaM integrates nutrition interventions into healthcare for disease prevention and treatment.
• Evidence on the effectiveness of FaM interventions remains limited.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness of the comprehensive Food as Medicine program, Recipe4Health (R4H).
• To assess the impact of R4H on dietary intake and clinical health outcomes in vulnerable patient populations.

Main Methods:

• A quasi-experimental study was conducted across 4 Federally Qualified Health Centers in California.
• Participants received either "Food Farmacy" (produce deliveries) alone or with "Behavioral Pharmacy" (group visits).
• Pre/post surveys (4 months) and propensity score-matched EHR data (12 months) were analyzed for 2,643 patients and controls.

Main Results:

• Significant increase in produce consumption observed with "Food Farmacy" plus "Behavioral Pharmacy" (0.41 servings/day).
• Improvements in non-HDL cholesterol noted for both "Food Farmacy" alone and combined interventions compared to controls at 12 months.
• Significant decrease in HbA1c observed with "Food Farmacy" alone at 12 months compared to controls.

Conclusions:

• The Recipe4Health program demonstrated positive impacts on dietary habits.
• R4H interventions led to significant improvements in clinical health outcomes, including non-HDL cholesterol and HbA1c.
• This study supports the integration of Food as Medicine programs within healthcare settings.