The Design and Impact of a Clinic-Based Community Program on Food Insecurity, Healthy Eating Behaviors, and Mood

Abstract

Food insecurity is a national issue that disproportionately impacts Louisiana citizens, contributing to the state’s poor health outcomes. We know that the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and food pantries improve access to food, but we have limited data on what interventions improve food insecurity. The Geaux Get Healthy Clinical Program at Our Lady of the Lake (GGHOLOL) is a clinic-based community program that leverages community partnerships and a clinical setting to provide education and access to resources for individuals with food insecurity. This prospective study examines the impact of GGHOLOL on food insecurity as a pre-post survey evaluation over a two-year period. A total of 57 research participants with food insecurity completed the program. Mean food security scores improved at completion of GGHOLOL, and these scores further improved 6 months after enrollment. Furthermore, participants demonstrated sustainable improvements in healthy eating, cooking, and shopping behaviors. Lastly, participants improved their overall depression scores at the completion of the program with sustainable improvement at 6 months. With the improvement in GGHOLOL on food insecurity and nutrition behaviors, GGHOLOL may serve as a model for other programs addressing food insecurity in the future.