A fresh produce prescription bolsters health and well-being for people living on low incomes
Community Food Centres Canada releases new evaluation results from its Market Greens program
TORONTO, May 8, 2023 /CNW/ - Today, Community Food Centres Canada (CFCC) released new data measuring the impact of a weekly "prescription" for fresh produce on low-income households.
Through the program, people who experience a variety of diet-related conditions are given a "Greens Rx" prescription by health care providers to be redeemed weekly for fresh produce at community markets.
Results show that not only does the prescription increase consumption of fruits and vegetables, but it also has a positive impact on people's health, sense of belonging, and ability to make ends meet each month.
"The Market Greens program partners with community health and food organizations and has a goal to reduce financial barriers to health through good food access," said Kathryn Scharf, Chief Program Officer at Community Food Centres Canada. "It is unacceptable that someone who is suffering from diabetes or cardiovascular disease be unable to afford the food they need to manage their health. This is just another way that poverty erodes peoples' quality of life."
The newest report data was collected through a series of surveys among over 1,000 program participants in 14 communities across the country between 2020 and 2022. As Scharf explains:
"In these surveys, people told us they went from treating fresh produce like a 'precious commodity' to having the choice to eat a variety of fruits and vegetables each week. With increased access to fresh produce, participant's health improved, their stress decreased and they were better able to make ends meet."
After completing the program, 97 per cent of Greens Rx participants surveyed said the prescription helped them make ends meet at the end of each month. As one participant put it: "Being able to get vegetables here has freed up money I need for other food, such as meat and milk. It means I can eat a healthy meal without spending the rent."
Moreover:
- Ninety per cent of Greens Rx participants surveyed reported that they were eating more fresh fruits and vegetables.
- In a three month follow-up survey, over 70 per cent of participants indicated that once the program was complete, they still sustained an increased menu of fruit and vegetables.
- And, notably, 90 per cent of Greens Rx participants who completed the post-program survey reported that the program was helping them better manage long-term health conditions, such as diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol.
According to one participant: "[After] I was diagnosed with diabetes, they signed me up for Market Greens. I was feeling really sick for a long time, but since I've been eating more vegetables, my diabetes is right where it should be and I'm feeling healthier."
Beyond physical health, the program has proven to have social benefits as well. Sixty-seven per cent of Greens Rx participants and 71 per cent of market shoppers said they felt more connected to their community because of the market. One participant shared: "I felt like I had a new lease on life. I had an interest in getting out and more energy to do things. I even felt more like socializing instead of just sitting in my house."
The Market Greens program is ongoing, and currently includes another cohort of 16 partners across Canada.
Given the extra toll taken by food insecurity and the inability to access nourishing and fresh food, CFCC is encouraged by the potential of the program to improve quality of life and reduce the enormous costs to the healthcare system in connection to diet-related diseases. Going forward, it will seek to scale this program in partnership with government and health care authorities.
- Market Greens, an initiative of CFCC, is delivered in partnership with community food and health organizations across Canada. The program aims to increase access to healthy food and improve health and social outcomes for people living on low incomes.
- Since 2017, Market Greens has been implemented in 28 communities across Canada and has supported more than 1,500 households to access fresh fruits and vegetables.
- Market Greens is made possible thanks to an investment from the Public Health Agency of Canada and the generous support of The Arrell Family Foundation and the Maple Leaf Centre for Action on Food Security.
- Kathryn Scharf, Chief Program Officer, Community Food Centres Canada
- Hilary Dragicevic, Senior Program Specialist - Market Greens, Community Food Centres Canada
At the heart of Community Food Centres Canada's work is the belief that food is a basic right. We bring people together around good food to help communities thrive. With nearly 400 partners across the country, we build inclusive, culturally responsive Community Food Centres, share knowledge, create health-focused programs, and advocate for equitable policy change. Learn more at: cfccanada.ca.
SOURCE Community Food Centres Canada
Media contact: Kennedy Sherwood, Community Food Centres Canada | 236-508-2357 | [email protected]
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