# Southern California Center for Chronic Health Disparities in Latino Children and Families.

> **NIH NIH P50** · CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL OF LOS ANGELES · 2022 · $417,375

## Abstract

ABSTRACT
 This application is responding to the NOSI supplement (NOT-OD-22-159) to support research on
preventive interventions with populations that experience health disparities. Our project under parent grant P50
MD017344, is called “Food Prescriptions to Promote Affordable Diets that Meet RDAS among Multi-
Generational Latino Households” and is developing meal plans accompanied by grocery delivery to improve
diet quality and support weight loss. We are specifically planning meals and procuring groceries that are
affordable, meet the recommended dietary allowances (RDAs) and adhere to sustainability guidelines to
reduce the food-related carbon footprint. We are requesting the supplemental funds to add a FoodRx app as
an intervention component that was not originally included in the parent study.
 Our recent household pilot had very promising results with the average Healthy Eating Index (HEI)
increasing nearly 20 points (from 49.8 to 69.2) among adults, and adult participants achieving an average
weight loss of 7 lbs. in a four-week period. Participants that did not do as well said there were several recipes
and ingredients provided that they did not like and would have preferred substitutions. We currently lack the
capacity to fully customize the menu plans and grocery lists. An app will enable participants to customize their
weekly meal plans. We hypothesize that having the ability to customize the weekly menus through a FoodRx
app will improve outcomes, as the lack of customization appeared to be a barrier for some families to improve
their diet quality and achieve weight loss goals. (eg, some families did not like tofu or oatmeal, and would have
preferred a substitute). It will not change the overall study design, which is to plan healthy meals and deliver
the necessary groceries, and at the same time reduce the exposure to supermarkets and restaurants. We will
be able to test the impact of the Food Rx app by comparing participants who use it to our control group that
does not currently have access to the standard menus/grocery delivery or FoodRx app.
 Other benefits to creating a FoodRx app include the ability to expand enrollment to families with
different ethnic/cultural backgrounds and food preferences, ability to scale the project, and ability for families to
continue the program once the 6-month study ends. If this intervention ultimately proves effective and we can
scale it up, it will create an alternative infrastructure that will constitute a new method for healthy diet promotion
and transform the food marketplace. The more people that use Food Rx to obtain healthy groceries, the fewer
that will be exposed to retail outlets that promote nutrient poor foods.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10674434
- **Project number:** 3P50MD017344-02S1
- **Recipient organization:** CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL OF LOS ANGELES
- **Principal Investigator:** Michael Isaac Goran
- **Activity code:** P50 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $417,375
- **Award type:** 3
- **Project period:** 2021-09-24 → 2026-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10674434

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10674434, Southern California Center for Chronic Health Disparities in Latino Children and Families. (3P50MD017344-02S1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-29 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10674434. Licensed CC0.

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