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Effects of DASH Groceries on Blood Pressure in Black Residents of Urban Food Deserts

Award Number: R01MD016068
ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL CENTER ON MINORITY HEALTH AND HEALTH DISPARITIES
OPDIV: NIH
AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY
AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: SCIENTIFIC/HEALTH RESEARCH (INCLUDES SURVEYS)
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 06/18/2022
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 02/28/2027

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Effects of DASH Groceries on Blood Pressure in Black Residents of Urban Food Deserts - Elevated blood pressure (BP) and hypertension are rampant in the US, disproportionately affecting over half of black adults. Interventions that lower BP reduce risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD), stroke, and premature death. The DASH diet, a balanced eating plan that emphasizes fruits, vegetables, low fat dairy, and lean meats, is efficacious in lowering BP among black adults with hypertension. However, uptake among black adults is poor. In fact, unhealthy diet is the most significant determinant of disparities in hypertension management among black adults. Despite numerous educational initiatives encouraging adults to eat 7-9 daily servings of fruits and vegetables, average consumption of fruits and vegetables by adults of lower socioeconomic status has stagnated at 1.3 servings daily. Access, cost, and cultural dissonance in urban food deserts have been cited as significant barriers to healthier eating. Thus, innovative research is urgently needed to devise strategies that improve consumption of healthy foods and reduce health disparities among black adults living in urban food deserts. Novel innovations in grocery delivery have the potential to overcome barriers to healthy eating on a massive scale. With the advent of large technology-based companies, which have unprecedented sourcing and delivery capabilities, it is possible to overcome traditional barriers and facilitate choice of palatable healthy foods throughout urban black communities. However, whether virtual supermarkets with home delivery can be leveraged to meaningfully improve diet and BP in an urban food desert has never been tested. We will perform a 12-week individual-level, randomized trial to determine the health effects of complete dietary replacement with home-delivered, low-sodium, DASH-pattern groceries ordered virtually with dietitian assistance. Our proposal represents a partnership with community clinics serving urban communities in consultation with leaders in culturally sensitive meal preparation and community-based participatory research to enroll black adults living in local urban food deserts with elevated BP or hypertension. Participants will have autonomy to choose their own groceries weekly through AmazonFresh, following a pattern that portions food groups according to the DASH feeding plan at an amount that exceeds their Calorie needs. After 12 weeks, we will assess the effects of the groceries on systolic BP (primary outcome) and secondarily on CVD risk factors (cholesterol). Our proposal also includes 8 weeks of dedicated observation to characterize facilitators and barriers of sustained DASH adherence via mixed methods. This trial will establish a scalable, patient-oriented solution that overcomes poor access to healthful foods and addresses health disparities. Knowledge to be gained from this proposal is directly relevant to evolving U.S. food stamp (SNAP) policy toward e-commence groceries and will inform iterative innovation on interventions that reduce dietary disparities among black adults. Ultimately, our proposal accomplishes a major strategic priority of the NIMHD for scientific research to “develop and test interventions to reduce health disparities.”


Issue Date FY	Funding FY	Legal Entity Name	Legal Entity Address	Legal Entity City	Legal Entity State	Legal Entity Zip Code	Legal Entity COUNTY	Legal Entity COUNTRY	Assistance Listing	Award Code	Budget Year	Action Date	Action Type	Action Amount

Issue Date FY: 2025 ( Subtotal = $839,744 )
2025	2025	BETH ISRAEL DEACONESS MEDICAL CENTER, INC.	330 BROOKLINE AVE	BOSTON	MA	02215	SUFFOLK	USA	Minority Health and Health Disparities Research	002	4	8/9/2025	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$839,744
2025	2024	BETH ISRAEL DEACONESS MEDICAL CENTER, INC.	330 BROOKLINE AVE	BOSTON	MA	02215	SUFFOLK	USA	Minority Health and Health Disparities Research	000	3	2/25/2025	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$0
2025	2024	BETH ISRAEL DEACONESS MEDICAL CENTER, INC.	330 BROOKLINE AVE	BOSTON	MA	02215	SUFFOLK	USA	Minority Health and Health Disparities Research	001	3	5/4/2025	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$0
														Subtotal = $839,744

Issue Date FY: 2024 ( Subtotal = $849,555 )
2024	2024	BETH ISRAEL DEACONESS MEDICAL CENTER, INC.	330 BROOKLINE AVE	BOSTON	MA	02215	SUFFOLK	USA	Minority Health and Health Disparities Research	001	3	7/17/2024	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$84,956
2024	2024	BETH ISRAEL DEACONESS MEDICAL CENTER, INC	330 BROOKLINE AVE	BOSTON	MA	02215	SUFFOLK	USA	Minority Health and Health Disparities Research	000	3	2/14/2024	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$764,599
														Subtotal = $849,555

Issue Date FY: 2023 ( Subtotal = $853,750 )
2023	2023	BETH ISRAEL DEACONESS MEDICAL CENTER, INC	330 BROOKLINE AVE	BOSTON	MA	02215	SUFFOLK	USA	Minority Health and Health Disparities Research	000	2	2/9/2023	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$853,750
														Subtotal = $853,750

Issue Date FY: 2022 ( Subtotal = $882,572 )
2022	2022	BETH ISRAEL DEACONESS MEDICAL CENTER, INC	330 BROOKLINE AVE	BOSTON	MA	02215	SUFFOLK	USA	Minority Health and Health Disparities Research	001	1	9/20/2022	NEW	$0
2022	2022	BETH ISRAEL DEACONESS MEDICAL CENTER, INC	330 BROOKLINE AVE	BOSTON	MA	02215	SUFFOLK	USA	Minority Health and Health Disparities Research	000	1	6/18/2022	NEW	$882,572
														Subtotal = $882,572

Grand Total All Awards = $3,425,621

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Effects of DASH Groceries on Blood Pressure in Black Residents of Urban Food Deserts

Award Number: R01MD016068

ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL CENTER ON MINORITY HEALTH AND HEALTH DISPARITIES

OPDIV: NIH

AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY

AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: SCIENTIFIC/HEALTH RESEARCH (INCLUDES SURVEYS)

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 06/18/2022

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 02/28/2027

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