NCT06681909

University At Buffalo Campus Veggie Van Mobile Market

Adapting the Veggie Van Mobile Market Intervention to Address Disparities in Nutrition Security Among College Students

• Status: Active Not Recruiting
• Phase: —
• Study type: Observational
• Enrollment: 125 (estimated)
• Sponsor: University at Buffalo · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 18 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Accepted

Summary

The goal of this observational study is to develop an adaptable mobile produce market model to be used on college campuses to increase college students' access to fresh fruits and vegetables. Food insecurity on college campuses threatens academic success and student well-being, and affects first generation, lower-income, and racial/ethnic minority students at higher rates. This research will include a pilot campus mobile market operated on the University at Buffalo campus. The main questions it aims to answer are: 1.) What makes it hard for students to eat healthy foods on the University at Buffalo campus, 2.) How does a mobile market need to operate on a college campus to best reach students, and 3.) What is the relationship between mobile market use and changes in how many fruits and vegetables students eat, students' ability to consistently eat foods that promote health and well-being, and participation in the Special Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).

Detailed description

As first-generation, low-income, and racial/ethnic minority students have improved their access to higher education, food insecurity in United States campuses has increased and threatens their academic success and well-being. College food pantries have been the most common solution but only offer short-term emergency relief, and stigma has prevented their use. To provide a longer-term evidence-based approach that honors students' choices and dignity, this research will inform the development of an adaptable campus mobile market model that consistently provides access to healthy food and promotes nutrition security. The clinical trial portion of the research will evaluate how intervention dosage, gauged by University at Buffalo Campus Veggie Van (UB Veggie Van) visits, total fruit and vegetable purchasing, and incentive redemption, is associated with changes in fruit and vegetable consumption (including skin carotenoids), nutrition security measures, and Special Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) enrollment from the beginning to the end of the semester.

Conditions

• Food Habits
• Food Selection

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
BEHAVIORAL	UB Campus Veggie Van	The UB Veggie Van is based on the Veggie Van, an evidence-based mobile produce market intervention. Mobile markets are like farmers' markets on wheels that travel to underserved communities selling high-quality, low-cost produce and healthy foods. The Veggie Van mobile market model was developed through multiple research studies on the efficacy, effectiveness, and implementation of the intervention, and is a multi-level intervention that addresses the five components of nutrition security (availability, accessibility, affordability, stability, and utilization). The UB Veggie Van is operated according to the Veggie Van model, with specific adaptations made to more effectively reach the campus community (Aim 1 of the larger funded study).

Timeline

• Start date: 2024-08-23
• Primary completion: 2025-08-31
• Completion: 2026-05-31
• First posted: 2024-11-12
• Last updated: 2025-02-14

Locations

1 site across 1 country: United States