Food-As-Medicine in Practice: A Pilot Evaluation of a Clinic-Based Produce Prescription Program
Jennifer Bleck, Rita DeBatePurpose
To evaluate short-term outcomes of a six-month clinic-based produce prescription program on food security, dietary behaviors, and health indicators.
Design
Non-experimental pre–post pilot evaluation using quantitative methods.
Setting
Clinic-based food pharmacy.
Sample
62 adults enrolled between June 2024 and April 2025; all identified as food insecure and diagnosed with at least one diet-related chronic condition.
Intervention
Participants received biweekly free produce for six-months.
Measures
USDA 6-item food security module, self-reported daily fruit/vegetable servings, self-reported health status, and continuous BMI.
Analysis
Generalized estimating equations, adjusted for demographic characteristics, were used to assess changes over time.
Results
Food security improved significantly; participation was associated with greater odds of improved food security (aOR = 0.484,
Conclusion
Clinic-based produce prescriptions may reduce food insecurity and improve diet and perceived health in high-risk patients. Limitations include a small sample size, a single site, self-reported data, and the absence of a control group.