Impact of a Prescription Produce Program on Diabetes and Cardiovascular Risk Outcomes.

Abstract Objective To evaluate the impact of a fruit and vegetable prescription program on diabetes and cardiovascular risk outcomes. Design Single-arm pre-post study. Setting Primary care clinic in a community-based hospital. Participants Adults with type 2 diabetes (n = 97), aged > 18 years, with hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) ≥ 7.0%, and a body mass index (BMI) of ≥ 25 kg/m2. Intervention Over 7 months, participants received monthly group-based diabetes self-management education (DSME) and monthly vouchers ($28–$140/month) redeemable for fruits and vegetables at local markets. Analysis Biomarker changes (HbA1c, BMI, and blood pressure) were assessed with paired t tests. Voucher distribution and redemption were tracked, and voucher redemption rates were calculated. Linear mixed-effect regression models tested associations between biomarkers, voucher redemption rates, and participant characteristics. Results There was a −1.3% (P Conclusions and Implications Fruit and vegetable prescription programs may improve diabetes outcomes by incentivizing DSME uptake and retention. Future randomized trials are warranted to identify strategies to improve DSME engagement and voucher redemption rates and assess mechanisms through which these programs influence health outcomes.