Enjoying Affordable and Tasty Food Together
PROJECT EATT: Enjoying Affordable and Tasty Food Together
University of Massachusetts, Lowell
120 participants
Feb 1, 2026
INTERVENTIONAL
Conditions
Summary
The goal of this pilot study is to examine the feasibility of a novel meal kit and nutrition education intervention among adults aged 40 years and older, who are lower income, and to evaluate the preliminary impact of the meal kit and nutrition education intervention on food insecurity, dietary quality, mental health, quality of life and cardiovascular risk factors compared with general nutrition education materials in this population. The main questions are: What is the acceptability and satisfaction with the meal kits and nutrition education intervention? What are the participation rates in the nutrition education program and the evaluation of the intervention? What is the impact of the intervention on food insecurity, dietary quality and cooking and food preparation self-efficacy compared with general nutrition education materials? What is the impact of the intervention of psychosocial health, quality of life and cardiometabolic outcomes compared with general nutrition education materials?
Eligibility
Inclusion Criteria6
- Adults aged 40 years and older.
- Household income at or less than the 200% the federal poverty level (household size 1: $30,120, household size 2: $40,880, household size 3: $51,640, household size 4: $62,400, and household size 5: $73,160)
- Willing to provide informed consent and complete the study requirements, including attending study visits and completing questionnaires.
- Access to a refrigerator or other means to safely store perishable food, as the meal kits require refrigeration.
- BMI > 30 kg/m2 and self-report having at least one of the following: elevated blood pressure or hypertension, elevated glucose, prediabetes or diabetes.
- Reside in the Greater Lowell area or surrounding regions to ensure feasibility of meal kit delivery and data collection.
Exclusion Criteria11
- Less than 40 years old
- Does not have BMI >30 kg/m2, elevated blood pressure or hypertension, or elevated glucose, prediabetes or diabetes
- Not able to provide consent (adults lacking capacity)
- Follow a medically restricted diet or have allergies to wheat, soy, or dairy
- Plans to move from the Greater Lowell area within the next 12 months
- Live outside the Greater Lowell area because this will impact meal kit delivery
- Individuals without a working refrigerator in your household
- Have a serious medical condition requiring a doctor's care including cancer, chronic kidney disease and/or celiac disease
- Currently part of a study on diabetes, cardiovascular disease, nutrition or weight-loss
- Currently taking any weight loss medication like Ozempic, or medication for diabetes, dyslipidemia or hypertension
- Currently using a continuous glucose monitor
Interested in this trial?
Get notified about updates and connect with the research team.
Interventions
Meal kits contain ingredients for 3 meals designed for 4 servings, along with nutrition education materials, recipes, and information on how to store and prepare the meals. Weekly educational content focused on healthy eating, food security, and meal planning will be provided, either via print materials or through an online platform (e.g., email or app-based resources).
Locations(1)
View Full Details on ClinicalTrials.gov
For the most up-to-date information, visit the official listing.
NCT07036757