Nourishing Healthy Starts
Food security
This study is an evaluation of the Nourishing Healthy Starts program administered by Operation Food Search, a St. Louis-based hunger relief organization. The goal of the program is to provide food and nutrition support during pregnancy to improve maternal health and birth outcomes. It is anticipated that a food prescription program could be beneficial for participants and result in significant healthcare cost savings. Specifically, this program provides:
- Facilitated access to food support programs.
- A weekly share of fresh, local food along with nutrition and culinary education provided by a Registered Dietitian and Community Chef.
- Support from a Maternal Health Advocate to provide ongoing support and connection to community resources.
The goal of this project is to improve maternal health and birth outcomes Specifically, anticipated program outcomes include:
- Reduction in food insecurity.
- Improved mental health indicators.
- Reduction in pre-term or low-birthweight births.
- Reduction in NICU admissions and other healthcare costs.
CSD leads the research design of the program, conducts data analysis, and evaluates program outcomes using the following metrics:
- Maternal health (weight gain, blood pressure, blood sugar).
- Birth outcomes (birthweight, gestational age).
- Number of infant illnesses/complications.
- Overall program costs.
Enrollment in a pilot program and preliminary study (FreshRx) began in September 2018 in partnership with SSM Health DePaul Hospital OB Care Center. The Nourishing Healthy Starts program launched in 2023 with the current accompanying research planned to culminate in early 2026.
Resources: Nourishing Healthy Starts Resource Guide
Funding Partner: Operation Food Search
Principal Investigator
