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Could free, Health-Focused food boxes lift depression?

NCT ID NCT07779707

Disease control Sponsor: University of Massachusetts, Worcester Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

What the study statuses mean

This study's is highlighted.

Recruitment status, easiest to join first

Recruiting now This study
This trial is taking on new participants right now.
Not yet recruiting
Registered, but not yet taking participants.
By invitation only
Not open to general applications. Only people the study team invites can take part.
Paused
Paused for now. It may or may not start again.
Ongoing
Running, but no longer taking on new participants.
Completed
The trial has finished. Results may not be published yet.
Stopped early
Stopped early, before it reached the end. That can be for many reasons, including safety.
Cancelled
Cancelled before anyone took part.

Expanded access (not trials)

Expanded access
Not a trial. This treatment can be requested outside a study, case by case, for people who qualify.
Expanded access (paused)
Not a trial. The treatment can normally be requested outside a study, but is unavailable right now.
Expanded access (ended)
Not a trial. The treatment could once be requested outside a study, but no longer can.
Approved
The treatment has been approved, so it is available normally rather than through this programme.

When the status isn't known

Details not published
The full record has not been published yet, so there is little to show here.
Status unknown
This status has not been confirmed recently, so it may be out of date.

First seen Aug 21, 2026 · Last updated Aug 27, 2026 · Updated 2 times

Summary

This trial tests whether receiving medically tailored groceries for six months can reduce depressive symptoms in adults who have depression and face food insecurity. Participants are randomly assigned to receive home-delivered food boxes designed by dietitians, along with optional nutrition counseling, or to receive a monthly grocery gift card. The study measures changes in depression, anxiety, food insecurity, diet quality, and healthcare use.

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.

Active substance
Medically tailored, home-delivered groceries (13 boxes over 6 months) plus optional nutritional counseling, compared to a $30 monthly grocery gift card.
What this could lead to
If effective, this could point toward food-based support as a practical way to reduce depression symptoms in people who also struggle with food insecurity.
What could go wrong
This is a relatively small, early-stage trial, and the benefit may be modest or not last beyond the 6-month program. Results depend on participants' adherence and may not apply to broader populations.

This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.

Study facts

What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.

Phase

Not a phased trial

Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.

Participants

About 300 people

The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.

Expected to start

Aug 2026

An estimate. Start dates often move.

Expected to finish

Aug 2029

An estimate. End dates often move.

Lead sponsor

Other sponsor

The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.

Who can take part

This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.

Ages

18 years and older

Sex

Anyone

Healthy volunteers

Not accepted

This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.

Show the full entry requirements

Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.

Inclusion Criteria: * A depression diagnosis with active symptoms, defined as having a recent Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) screening of 5+, or no depression diagnosis but a recent PHQ-9 screening of 10+ * Experiencing food insecurity (could be either low or very low food security) * Lives in Central Massachusetts in Worcester County * Receives care at UMass Memorial Health, or receives care at clinics affiliated with Community Care Cooperative (C3) * Can prepare and cook meals independently, or has a family member or caregiver able to prepare food Exclusion Criteria: * Pregnant women and women who are within one year postpartum at baseline. Women who become pregnant during trial will be allowed to finish their food programming and study participation. * New depression diagnosis within the past 3 months * Has bipolar depression or bipolar disorder

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

Depression major depressive disorder Psychological Well-Being

As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

Depression - major depressive disorder Food insecurity

How to take part

Only the study team decides who joins. These are the ways to reach them.

  1. The places running it

    3 sites. The list below names each one and where it is.

  2. The official record

    ClinicalTrials.gov lists the study team's own contact details, including names and phone numbers. We don't republish those.

    Open the record ↗

  3. A doctor treating you

    A doctor who knows your case can contact a study site on your behalf, and can tell you whether this study is worth pursuing at all.

Contacts and locations

Locations

  • Community Care Cooperative (C3)

    RECRUITING

    Worcester, Massachusetts, 01655, United States

  • UMass Chan Medical School

    NOT_YET_RECRUITING

    Worcester, Massachusetts, 01605, United States

  • UMass Memorial Health

    RECRUITING

    Worcester, Massachusetts, 01655, United States

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