Healthy Food Incentives for Type 2 Diabetes

Recruiting in Palo Alto (17 mi)

Overseen byDana Olstad, PhD

Age: 18+

Sex: Any

Travel: May Be Covered

Time Reimbursement: Varies

Trial Phase: Academic

Waitlist Available

Sponsor: University of Calgary

No Placebo Group

Trial Summary

What is the purpose of this trial?

It is important for individuals with type 2 diabetes (T2DM) to adhere to a healthy dietary pattern to maintain optimal blood glucose levels and overall health. The increasing costs of healthy foods, however, is a barrier to maintaining healthful dietary patterns, particularly for individuals with T2DM who are experiencing food insecurity (i.e., inadequate or insecure access to food due to financial constraints). Lower diet quality may result in difficulties maintaining optimal blood glucose levels, leading to higher rates of diabetes complications, and increased acute care usage and costs. Effective strategies to address this issue are lacking despite the well-known impact of food insecurity on maintaining optimal blood glucose levels. One way to address this problem is to provide incentives to purchase healthy foods through healthy food prescription programs. These programs may help to reduce food insecurity and improve diet quality, thereby improving blood glucose control and reducing diabetes complications over time. This study will investigate the reach, effectiveness, adoption, implementation, and maintenance (RE-AIM) of a healthy food prescription incentive program among adults who are experiencing food insecurity and persistent hyperglycemia through three concurrent studies; a randomized controlled trial, an implementation study, and a modelling study. The randomized controlled trial will examine the effectiveness of a healthy food prescription incentive program compared to a healthy food prescription alone in reducing blood glucose levels among adults who are experiencing food insecurity and persistent hyperglycemia.

Research Team

Dana Olstad, PhD

Principal Investigator

University of Calgary

Eligibility Criteria

This trial is for adults aged 18-85 with type 2 diabetes and persistent high blood sugar, who struggle to afford healthy food. Participants must speak English or have a translator, not plan extensive travel outside Canada, be able to shop at certain supermarkets, and not live in meal-providing facilities.

Inclusion Criteria

Adults between 18 and 85 years old with type 2 diabetes or diabetes of unknown cause.

Can communicate in English or have someone to translate

You have long-lasting high blood sugar levels (hemoglobin A1C 6.5-12%).

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Exclusion Criteria

Your A1c level is below 6.5% or above 12%.

Plan to leave for Canada for more than 2 weeks in the next 12 months

You are showing signs of metabolic problems like weight loss, excessive thirst, and frequent urination.

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Treatment Details

Interventions

Healthy food incentive (Behavioral Intervention)
Healthy food prescription (Behavioral Intervention)
Healthy food subsidy (Behavioral Intervention)

Trial OverviewThe study tests if giving incentives to buy healthy foods can better control blood sugar in diabetics facing food insecurity than just prescribing healthy foods. It includes a randomized controlled trial comparing these two approaches.

Participant Groups

2Treatment groups

Experimental Treatment

Active Control

Group I: Subsidized Healthy Food Prescription IncentiveExperimental Treatment2 Interventions

Participants will receive a one-time healthy food prescription pamphlet from their healthcare provider and a weekly incentive of $10.50/household member to purchase healthy foods in supermarkets for 12 months. The list of incentive-eligible foods includes whole, minimally processed foods with little to no added fat, sugar or salt from all food groups.

Group II: Healthy Food Prescription ComparisonActive Control1 Intervention

Participants will receive a one-time healthy food prescription pamphlet from their healthcare provider. The pamphlet closely mimics current standard of care for patients with diabetes in Alberta (i.e., nutrition counselling).