By Jillian McKoy, Boston University School of Public Health, January 27, 2023
Healthcare-community nutrition programs, such as clinic-based food pantries, medically tailored meal deliveries, and “produce prescription” programs, are known to reduce food insecurity and improve diet quality and chronic conditions, such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease. And while food insecurity has been linked to depression, no study has evaluated the direct impact of these nutrition interventions on mental health as a primary outcome.
Now, a new study led by a School of Public Health researcher is closing this gap with a new analysis of a monthly onsite mobile food market program run by the Greater Boston Food Bank (GBFB) and eight partnering community health centers (CHCs).
Published in the journal NEJM Catalyst Innovations in Care Delivery, the study found that CHC patients who utilized free produce, dairy, and high-protein foods at the GBFB mobile market experienced a reduction in depressive symptoms. Mental health improved for all mobile market participants, but people who were diagnosed with moderate or severe depression before they began shopping at the market experienced the largest improvement.
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