Impact of Fruit and Vegetable Incentive Programs on Food Insecurity, Fruit and Vegetable Consumption, and Health...

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Nutrition Science
• Health Services Research

Background:

• Food insecurity affects numerous U.S. households, impacting overall health and well-being.
• Lower-income populations disproportionately experience challenges in accessing nutritious food.
• Fruit and vegetable consumption is vital for maintaining good health and preventing diet-related diseases.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review the effectiveness of Fruit and Vegetable Incentive (FVI) programs.
• To assess the impact of FVI programs on food insecurity among lower-income households.
• To evaluate the influence of FVI programs on fruit and vegetable consumption and health outcomes.

Main Methods:

• A systematic review adhering to Community Guide methodology.
• Literature search conducted across multiple databases up to February 2023.
• Inclusion criteria focused on U.S. studies of FVI programs for low-income populations with reported health outcomes.

Main Results:

• Thirteen of 14 data points indicated FVI programs reduced household food insecurity.
• Twenty-one of 29 data points showed increased fruit and vegetable consumption.
• Incentive programs improved blood glucose levels by a median of 0.64 percentage points in at-risk individuals.

Conclusions:

• Fruit and Vegetable Incentive programs are recommended for low-income populations to combat food insecurity and boost fruit and vegetable intake.
• These programs can improve blood glucose levels for individuals with or at risk of diet-related health conditions.
• FVI programs are anticipated to enhance health equity by increasing access to affordable, healthy foods.