Food pantry intervention increases food security, diet quality and self-sufficiency: Results from an 18-month randomized control study

Introduction The number of food pantries in the U.S. has grown dramatically over the past 30 years, yet food insecurity remains a persistent public health problem. Food insecurity is associated with long-term, negative physical and mental health outcomes in both adults and children, including obesity among women, depression and type 2 diabetes. Freshplace is a novel, community-based food pantry intervention based on the Stages of Change theoretical model. Freshplace is a client-choice fresh food pantry where members meet with a Project Manager monthly to set goals for becoming food secure and self sufficient. Methods Between June 2010 and June 2011, we randomized 228 adults to the Freshplace intervention or control group and followed them for 18 months. Main outcomes were food security, self-sufficiency, and fruit and vegetable consumption. We used multivariate regression models to predict the three outcomes, controlling for gender, age, household size, and income. Results At baseline, half of the sample experienced very low food security. Over one year, Freshplace members were almost one-third as likely to experience very low food security as the control group (OR=0.34; 95% CI 0.18, 0.64) and had significant improvements in self-sufficiency (P=.01) and fruit and vegetable consumption (P<.01). Discussion Freshplace is the first food pantry intervention to be rigorously evaluated. Freshplace may serve as a model for other food pantries to promote long-term food security rather than short-term assistance by addressing the underlying causes of poverty.