From left; Liam Fouhy, a research scientist in UMass Lowell’s Center for Population Health; center director and project leader Sabrina Noel, associate professor of public health; and Kelsey Mangano, associate professor of biomedical and nutritional sciences and the center’s associate director.
LOWELL – For people who don’t live near supermarkets or grocery stores, purchasing processed foods stocked at corner stores or convenience stores may be their only option. But studies show limited access to healthy and affordable food, such as fruits and vegetables, can increase stress, impact mental health, and increase risk of chronic diseases such as obesity, cardiovascular disease and diabetes.
To help qualifying residents in the Greater Lowell area live healthier lives, UMass Lowell, BJ’s Wholesale Club, EatWell Meal Kits and the Greater Lowell Health Alliance are joining forces to provide healthy meal kits along with nutrition education.
“Food insecurity is a major issue in Lowell and beyond, especially with rising food prices,” said Sabrina Noel, associate professor of public health and director of the Center for Population Health at UMass Lowell. “By providing access to healthy food through meal kits paired with nutrition education, we will study whether these efforts will result in sustained behavior changes over time to make a positive impact on health.”
Funded by a $185,000 grant from BJ’s Charitable Foundation, the project team is recruiting 120 residents in Billerica, Chelmsford, Dracut, Dunstable, Lowell, Tewksbury, Tyngsborough and Westford, who are 40 years or older with qualifying income levels, to participate in a 16-week study.
Half of the participants in the study will receive three EatWell Meal Kits per week, each one containing healthy ingredients and pantry items to make a meal for four people. The kits include recipes and access to step-by-step videos that can make meal preparation fun, as well as other educational materials. With nutrient-dense ingredients, the meal kits are low in sodium, saturated fat and added sugars.
“I see our meal kits as part of an overall educational component that encourages people to eat at home, increase family connections replicate the recipes in the kit so that the solution is sustainable over time,” said CEO Dan Wexler of EatWell Meal Kits.
The other half of the people in the study, the control group, will take part in surveys and health assessments but will not receive the meal kits. Both groups will receive $150 gift cards to BJ’s Wholesale Club for participating in the study.
“For over 40 years, BJ’s Wholesale Club has been driven by a powerful purpose: taking care of the families who depend on us,” said Kirk Saville, corporate communications at BJ’s Wholesale Club. “As a Massachusetts-based company, we place a special emphasis on communities in our home state. We’re thankful for the opportunity to partner with UMass Lowell on this study, and to help families access healthy food and improve their well-being.”
The nearest BJ’s Wholesale Club locations to the Greater Lowell area are in Nashua, New Hampshire, and Haverhill, Massachusetts. However, residents can order fresh foods online using their SNAP benefits at www.bjs.com.
Hannah Tello, director of projects and evaluation at the Greater Lowell Health Alliance, who works with a broad network of community organizations, will ensure the project is deeply rooted in the beliefs and needs of the community, according to Noel.
“Since COVID, the risk for food insecurity in the Greater Lowell area has risen due to higher prices, fixed incomes and strain on food banks and pantries,” Tello said. “This project will help our community members not only have access to food but will educate them about how they can enjoy making healthy meals with their families.”
Both groups in the study will visit UMass Lowell’s Health Assessment Lab before the start and end of the project. Researchers will evaluate participants’ blood pressure glucose levels and other health metrics, along with their diet, access to food, quality of life, stress, anxiety and other factors.
Team members include the project’s co-investigator, Kelsey Mangano, UMass Lowell associate professor of biomedical and nutritional sciences and associate director of the university’s Center for Population Health; Liam Fouhy, a research scientist in the center and a UMass Lowell graduate; and UMass Lowell student Clara Small, who is pursuing a master’s degree in public health.
“This program is a groundbreaking step in assessing impact of a meal kit intervention on reshaping how people cook and eat food at home and increase family and social connections that can be sustained long term and improve health within our community,” Noel said. “By understanding the outcomes in this study, we can not only measure success but also ensure that our efforts are meaningful and truly impactful for the people living in our communities.”
If you are 40 or older and are interested in participating in this study, please contact Clara Small at ProjectEATT@uml.edu to see if you qualify.
