Grocery Delivery to Promote Healthy Weight Gain Among Low-Income Pregnant Young Women

ABSTRACT
Excess weight gain during pregnancy among low income pregnant youth is associated with serious multi-
generational morbidity for both the mother and infant. Healthy diet and limiting sugar sweetened beverages
during pregnancy promotes healthy weight gain during pregnancy and impacts permanent fetal genetic
programming that determines risk for chronic disease among infants. Making healthy diet choices convenient
improves quality of diet among youth. The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and
Children (WIC) benefits cover the cost of healthy foods for low income pregnant women, but most young
mothers are not able to obtain the food due to logistical barriers such as transportation. Grocery delivery is a
well-established and inexpensive service that removes logistical barriers to obtaining healthy food but is
underused by those that may need it most -young pregnant women. The objective of this application is to
determine the impact of delivering healthy foods during pregnancy on the health of low-income young
women and their infants. For this three-armed randomized control trial, subjects are pregnant young women
≤24 years of age who are giving birth for the first time and enrolled in WIC (Arm 1: Usual WIC (Control), Arm 2:
Delivery of WIC-approved food only, Arm 3: Delivery of WIC-approved food PLUS unsweetened beverages).
Subjects are randomly assigned to experimental or control groups. Weight and dietary data will be recorded
throughout their pregnancy for all groups. In both experimental groups (Arm 2 & 3), the intervention will last
from the first trimester of their pregnancy to the birth of their infant. Arm 2 will receive healthy food delivery
every two weeks. Arm 3 will receive healthy food and unsweetened beverage delivery every two weeks. This
project will advance the scientific knowledge about the effect of a simple and inexpensive intervention (grocery
delivery) on weight gain and dietary behaviors among low-income pregnant young women, which can be
applied to policies and practices that affect other vulnerable populations.

Grant Number: 5R01HD101522-05
NIH Institute/Center: NIH
Principal Investigator: Tammy Chang