Fresh funds for moms: feasibility of a 12-week online food as medicine grocery prescription program for women with food insecurity and gestational diabetes
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: Introduction: Pregnant women with food insecurity experience high rates of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). Food as medicine and grocery prescription (GPx) programs have been successful in increasing food access and managing chronic disease; however, they are often not implemented during pregnancy. Methods: This was a pilot study of Fresh Funds for Moms, an online grocery prescription (GPx) program. Pregnant women between 20 and 28 weeks' gestation were purposefully recruited from one large hospital system in an urban community in Kentucky. Eligibility included: positive screening for food insecurity; diagnosis of either GDM, type 2 diabetes, or hypertension; and live in a zip code with online grocery service delivery access. Women received $200 per month for 12 weeks (total of $600) for healthy food purchases on an online grocery platform. Results: A total of 1,163 women were initially screened; 20 women were referred to participate in the program and 14 completed the program. On average, women redeemed 96.1% of their grocery benefit throughout the pilot GPx program. Fruit and vegetable purchases increased 4% from months one to three (27%-31%), while the percentage of funds spent on meat food items decreased from 31% to 22% by the third month, and percentage spent on pantry items remained consistent month-to-month (4%). Qualitative findings highlight overall satisfaction, however, participants reported some transactional confusion when redeeming their funds on the online grocery platform and a desire for more variety when selecting food items for delivery. Blood glucose and blood pressure improved slightly, however no clinically meaningful changes in HgbA1c were observed. Discussion: This pilot study demonstrated the feasibility of implementing a GPx program in collaboration with clinical, research, and industry partners as a food as medicine intervention. Online GPx programs have the potential for improving healthy shopping habits among pregnant women. However, to improve screening, referral, and enrollment, a larger system approach is needed to meet patients' needs, warranting further investigation in larger, adequately powered studies.
Source: Frontiers in Health Services
Language: English
Subfield: General Health Professions
Field: Health Professions
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $3,077
Funders: Joyce Foundation, American Society of Hematology, Pfizer, Biogen, Suomen Lääketieteen Säätiö, University of Victoria, Natural Science Foundation of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Gyllenstiernska Krapperupsstiftelsen, Mary Béves Stiftelse för Barncancerforskning, Maze Therapeutics, Cancer Research UK, Wellbeing of Women, South African Medical Research Council, Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, National Natural Science Foundation of China, Incheon National University, Cancerfonden, Fonds Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek, Crafoordska Stiftelsen, Gunnar Nilssons Cancerstiftelse, Korea Health Industry Development Institute, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Vetenskapsrådet, Narodowym Centrum Nauki, Tianjin University, China Scholarship Council, Natural Science Foundation of Ningxia Province, Kungliga Fysiografiska Sällskapet i Lund, Barncancerfonden, University of Johannesburg, Wenzhou Municipal Science and Technology Bureau, Suomen Hammaslääkäriliitto, Department of Education of Zhejiang Province, Changchun Science and Technology Bureau, Science, Technology and Innovation Commission of Shenzhen Municipality, Department of Science and Technology of Jilin Province, Business Finland, National Institutes of Health, Genentech, Taipei Medical University-Shuang Ho Hospital, Ministry of Health and Welfare, Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada, Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, National Key Research and Development Program of China, Henan Provincial Science and Technology Research Project, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, National Institute on Aging, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, National Institute of Nursing Research, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, HORIZON EUROPE European Research Council
OpenAlex ID: W4413961298