Researchers from the University of Illinois Chicago have been awarded $2.98 million from the National Institutes of Health National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities to test a “Food is Medicine” diet and nutrition program for Black women with high blood pressure.
The study will expand on a pilot program led by Saria Lofton, assistant professor in the University of Illinois Chicago College of Nursing, to boost access to healthy foods and promote blood pressure control in Chicago’s South Shore community. Participants in the study will receive 12 weeks of grocery delivery, cooking classes and education on nutrition and hypertension management.
Hypertension, or high blood pressure, can have many contributing causes. One factor is what you eat: Research shows that a diet high in salt, saturated fats and added sugar can have a negative effect. A diet heavy in fruits, vegetables, whole grains and lean proteins has been clinically proven to lower hypertension.
“Having lower-sodium foods and emphasizing more fresh, unprocessed foods can be supportive in lowering blood pressure,” said Lofton. Adults in the program, called FIM+Dash (Food is Medicine + Dietary Approaches to Support Hypertension) will receive groceries delivered to their home from Forty Acres Fresh Market, a local grocer in the Austin neighborhood.
They’ll also take cooking classes from Ken Polk, executive chef of Chicago’s Batter & Berries restaurants, and have nutrition information sessions while they eat their meals. At home, they’ll participate in classes over Zoom and track their blood pressure and activity.
After 12 weeks, patients will get cooking tools and grocery vouchers to keep practicing their new skills and will continue to keep tabs on their blood pressure. “For six months, we’ll be able to actively support them in lifestyle management,” Lofton said.
The study will enroll 150 participants with hypertension and a body mass index of 30 or higher who live in Auburn Gresham, Englewood, South Shore and Garfield Park. Operating out of UI Health’s Mile Square Health Center, the study also aims to test how the program can be integrated into standard hypertension care at Federally Qualified Health Centers.
