CompletedNot Applicable

Food Vouchers and Educational Intervention on Promoting Healthy Eating in Vulnerable Groups.

Spain66 participantsStarted 2021-10-14

Plain-language summary

Cost has been reported as the main barrier to healthy eating in vulnerable groups. We aimed to evaluate the effect of food vouchers with a nutrition education intervention on diet quality (using NOVA classification) and health. This pilot study has a randomized pre-and post-test experimental design. We included 66 vulnerable users from the Red Cross of Zaragoza (Spain). Intervention and control group individuals received 120 eu-ros/month during 3 months in food vouchers to be spent in supermarkets (60 eu-ros/month if under 12y) plus a 10-week nutrition education for the intervention group. Family food purchases were assessed using electronically recorded supermarket-obtained transactions. We found the percentage of healthy food was higher in the in-tervention group than in the control group. Once the nutrition education was over, dif-ferences between groups dissipated. Health parameters improved in the intervention group, particularly weight-status, lipid, and liver enzymes. Control participants gained weight, although lipid and liver enzymes improved. Blood pressure and HbA1c did not improve in either the intervention or the control group. In conclusion, providing unrestricted food vouchers to vulnerable groups to increase healthy food consumption and reduce the intake of ultra-processed food appears to be insufficient and should be accompanied by medium-long term education.

Who can participate

Age range

3 Years – 80 Years

Sex

ALL

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AI-rewrites the medical criteria so a patient or caregiver can understand them. Always confirm with the trial site.

Inclusion Criteria: The inclusion criteria established were children and adults between 3 and 80 years of age with at least one adult per family unit that could speak and understand Spanish, French, or English. Exclusion Criteria: Adults with severe illness or cognitive impairment were excluded from the study.

Questions worth asking your doctor

Bring these to your next appointment. They're a starting point for a shared conversation — not a sign you qualify or a recommendation to enrol.

1Based on my diagnosis and history, is this trial worth exploring for me — or is there a standard treatment we should try first?
2What does this trial's phase tell us about how much is already known about its safety and benefit?
3What would taking part actually involve for me — visits, tests, time, and travel?
4What are the known and possible risks or side effects I should weigh, and how would they be monitored?
5If this trial isn't the right fit, what other options or trials would you suggest I look into?

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Questions for the trial coordinator

The trial coordinator is the person who runs the study day to day. These cover the practical side — logistics, costs, and what taking part would actually mean for your life. The study team confirms whether you meet the criteria; these are questions to ask, not a sign you qualify.

1What does taking part actually involve week to week — how many visits, where, and how long does each one take?
2What costs are covered by the study, and what might I have to pay for myself, including travel, parking, or time off work?
3What happens during screening, and what happens if the study team confirms I don't meet the criteria after those tests?
4Who pays for the scans, blood work, and other tests the trial requires — the study, my insurance, or me?
5How will being in the trial affect my regular care, and will my own doctor stay informed and involved?
6Can I leave the trial at any point if I change my mind, and what would happen to my care if I do?

A starting point for the conversation — always confirm anything about your own eligibility, costs, and care with the study team and your doctor.

What they're measuring

Diet quality (using NOVA classification)

Timeframe: 3 months

Adherence Mediterranean diet

Timeframe: 10-week

Trial details

NCT IDNCT05539222

SponsorUniversidad de Zaragoza

Sponsor typeOTHER

Study typeINTERVENTIONAL

Primary completion2022-03-30

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