Exploring the Impact of Increased Access and Experiential Learning on Fruit and Vegetable Consumption for Diabetes Prevention Program Participants

The aim of this study was to address the need to improve ways of encouraging individuals who are living with prediabetes to increase their daily consumption of fruits and vegetables. In order to address this problem, the study explored a strategy that could serve as motivation and skill-building in people who are living with prediabetes. The first part of the strategy was to provide participants with weekly allotments of fresh fruits and vegetables. In addition to providing fresh fruits and vegetables, the second part of the strategy allowed participants to experience a food demonstration highlighting a healthy recipe using one or two of the fresh fruits and vegetables. The strategy was implemented along with a weekly curriculum from a “lifestyle change program” led by a trained coach (CDC, 2021e). To evaluate the impact of the strategy, dietary consumption surveys were collected from individuals enrolled in the CDC-recognized lifestyle change program in two different cohorts (a control group and intervention group) located in Southwest Virginia over an eighteen-week period. Both groups responded to a survey regarding their fruit and vegetable consumption and the data was analyzed for the relationship between fruit and vegetable access and skill-building food demonstrations and consumption of fruit and vegetables. The results could assist diabetes instructors and coaches in developing program components to implement with their clients who are living with prediabetes to encourage behavior changes around meeting the recommended daily consumption of fruits and vegetables.