Fruit and Vegetable Prescription Success

A small 10-week pilot study found that patients who received a fruit and vegetable “prescription” along with $30 tokens per week to spend on fruits and vegetables at a local farmer’s market reduced weight, waist circumference and cholesterol levels compared with a control group given a $30 gas card per week, reports the Cape Cod Times. Given the exorbitant healthcare costs resulting from chronic diseases that can often be largely prevented or controlled with dietary improvements, studies like this show promise in transitioning from a sick-care system to one with increasing interest in well-care and prevention.