Fresh Foodies

By Katherine Susman | Categories: | Comments Off on Fresh Foodies

A significant proportion of Harris Health System’s primary care patient population is obese (BMI > 30); and nearly one third of patients with a diabetes diagnosis are considered to have poor control of their blood glucose levels (A1c >9). This data highlighted the need for more comprehensive, patient-centered education and support and led to the development of the Fresh Foodies program. The goal of the program is to help patients with diabetes and obesity manage their health with nutrition through grocery store tours and food vouchers. These tours reinforce the lessons from group nutrition classes and individual appointments that participants have with a registered dietitian.

Patients have to attend two appointments with a registered dietitian or one appointment with the dietitian (RD), and one nutrition class. Once completed, the RD sends the patient list to the health educator who then invites the patient to participate in the tour. The health educator works with grocery store management to schedule the tour and order the $30 gift cards. Health educators and community health workers provide reminder calls, grocery store tours, and follow-up phone calls. The tour guide focuses on the perimeter of store and selected inner aisles (i.e. bread, beans, and frozen food aisles). Upon completion of the grocery store tour, the patient is provided with a $30 grocery store gift card to practice planning and purchasing healthy foods for family meals on a budget.

Funding for the program was provided by the Harris County Hospital District Foundation. Harris Health Nutrition Services and Harris Health Community Outreach Services work collaboratively to provide nutrition education to patients in individual and group settings and lead patients on the tour. The grocery store tour takes place at an a H-E-B Grocery Store located near the participating community health centers.

In five months, 67 patients were provided with semi-personal (one staff per two patients) guided grocery store tours and 40 of the 67 participated in the two-week follow-up phone call. Patients have reported learning how to purchase more food for less money, select fresh produce, read labels, shop for fresh and not processed food. Patients also report learning that fresh vegetables and fruits are better than canned food. All patients believe the grocery store tour enhanced what was taught during the nutrition class and during their appointment with the dietitian, and all patients report that they would recommend the tour to friends and family.