Longitudinal Associations Between Fruit and Vegetable Prescription Program Participation and Pediatric Blood Pressure and Weight Status

Background/Objectives: This study examined whether engagement in a pediatric fruit and vegetable prescription program (FVPP) offering one $15 prescription during office visits influenced health, hypothesizing that youth improve blood pressure (BP) and weight status after one year. Methods: This non-controlled longitudinal intervention trial included data from caregiver–child dyads at one pediatric clinic (child age 8–16 years). Correlated data models evaluated average longitudinal trends of study endpoints. Causal inference analyses for longitudinal data estimated time-varying effects of the FVPP on outcomes. Results: In total, 304 dyads enrolled. Youth reduced mean body mass index (BMI) percentile (p = 0.02), systolic BP (p < 0.001), and diastolic BP (p = 0.01). Youth also reduced the odds of elevated systolic BP (p < 0.001), diastolic BP (p = 0.004), and overall BP (p = 0.003). Children who redeemed ≥1 prescription reduced BMI percentile compared to counterparts who did not redeem (p = 0.02). Children who redeemed ≥1 prescription between baseline and 6 months reduced odds of obesity or elevated systolic BP at 12 months, with a relative odds ratio of 0.47 (p = 0.01) or 0.51 (p = 0.05), compared to peers who did not redeem. Conclusions: The results suggest that pediatric FVPP engagement may contribute to improvements in key health outcomes, underscoring the need for further investigation.