A food-as-medicine program for adults with high blood pressure and excess weight
Tests home-delivered food and cooking skills in adults with high blood pressure and obesity.
Key facts
- Who runs it
- University of Illinois Chicago
- Where
- Chicago, United StatesSee the 4 sites
- Trial code
- Registry title
- FIM+DASH: Food is Medicine Intervention to Promote Healthy Eating and Blood Pressure Control
- Status
- Recruiting
- Phase
- Phase 2
- People taking part
- 150 people, planned
- Started
- 22 May 2026
- Expected to end
- Sept 2030
- Type of study
- Interventional, 2 groupsOne group gets an existing treatment, for comparison.
- Treatments tested
- FIM intervention arm
- FIM Usual Care Arm
- Record updated
- 10 July 2026
Who can take part
AI summary
From the trial's eligibility criteria. Machine-read from the registry text on this page, so it can be wrong. The registry text below and the trial team decide who can take part.
The trial is looking for adults with high blood pressure and obesity. It tests a food-as-medicine eating plan against usual care.
- Age
- 18 years or older.
- Sex
- All sexes can join.
- Disease stage
- High blood pressure: a diagnosis in the health record, or a recent clinic reading of systolic 130 mmHg or higher and/or diastolic 80 mmHg or higher. BMI 30 kg/m² or higher.
Main reasons for not taking part
- Cannot speak or read English
- Severe food allergies or diet needs that rule out a DASH eating pattern
- Cannot cook at home
- Current cancer treatment
- Heart attack, stroke, heart surgery or hypertensive emergency in the past 12 months
The registry criteria, word for word
Show all 2 criteriaShow less
Who can take part
- Adults aged ≥18 years; diagnosis of hypertension in Electronic health record or most recent clinic blood pressure meeting inclusion thresholds (systolic blood pressure ≥130 mmHg and/or diastolic blood pressure ≥80 mmHg); BMI ≥30 kg/m²; able and willing to complete survey instruments and assessment procedures; able to speak/read English; access to a smartphone with text-messaging capability
Who cannot take part
- inability to speak/read English; cognitive impairment that precludes informed consent or participation; severe food allergies or medically necessary dietary restrictions that would preclude adoption of a DASH eating pattern; inability to cook at home; current treatment for cancer; self-reported history of a recent major cardiovascular event within the past 12 months (myocardial infarction, cerebrovascular accident, cardiac surgery, or hypertensive emergency); known advanced liver or renal disease; severe mental illness that would preclude participation; pregnancy. Individuals with lactose intolerance will not be excluded because low-lactose alternatives are available within the intervention
Where in United States
- Mile Square Health Center - Auburn GreshamChicago, United StatesContact: PINot yet recruiting
- Mile Square Health Center - EnglewoodChicago, United StatesContact: PINot yet recruiting
- Mile Square Health Center - South ShoreChicago, United StatesContact: PITaking people
- Mile Square Health Center ChicagoChicago, United StatesContact: PINot yet recruiting
About the trial
What the trial wants to find out
The goal of this clinical trial is to treat both hypertension and obesity in adults using a food is medicine framework. Participants will be randomized 1:1 to FIM+DASH or usual-care control. The 24-week trial includes a 12-week FIM+DASH intervention followed by a 12-week maintenance period and leverages existing partnerships with community-based organizations for home food delivery and culinary skill-skill building. The main questions it aims to answer are: (1) What is the effect of FIM+DASH vs. usual care control on blood pressure? (2) What is the effect of FIM+DASH vs. usual care control on DASH diet adherence (diet quality), body weight, and waist circumference? (3) How to identify factors associated with the sustainability and scalability of FIM+DASH in real-world settings?
The 2 groups in the trial
- FIM Usual Care ArmExisting treatment, for comparison
Participants randomized to the usual care arm continue to receive routine clinical care. They do not receive the FIM+DASH intervention during the active intervention period, but they complete study assessments according to the same assessment schedule. If your protocol includes delayed intervention materials/equipment/classes/food support after the primary trial period, include that here.
- FIM Intervention ArmTreatment being tested
Participants randomized to the experimental arm receive the FIM+DASH intervention, which includes Food is Medicine support aligned with DASH dietary guidance. The intervention includes groceries/food support, cooking/nutrition education, behavioral support, self-monitoring tools, and participant follow-up as specified in the protocol.
Questions to ask the study team
- How often do I need to come in, and for how long each time?
- Are travel costs paid?
- Can I keep my own doctor?
- What happens if I want to stop?
Contact the study team: see the registry record → Contacts and Locations
Print a page for my doctorData and sources
- Registry record
- Listed on ClinicalTrials.gov.
- Official title
- FIM+DASH: Food is Medicine Intervention to Promote Healthy Eating and Blood Pressure Control
- Plain-language title
- A food-as-medicine program for adults with high blood pressure and excess weightGenerated from the registry record. The registry title is the official one.
- AI summary
- From the trial's eligibility criteria. Read by machine on 12 November 2026.
- Record updated
- 10 July 2026