Cohort profile: Guangdong Pharmaceutical University Occupational Health Cohort in Xishan Coal Electricity Group (GDPU-OHC).

Diet-related chronic diseases are preventable health conditions (i.e., obesity, type 2 diabetes) that disproportionately impact vulnerable low-income populations and are the leading cause of death in the United States (). Food is Medicine (FIM) strategies are designed to prevent and alleviate diet-related chronic diseases by improving access to, and consumption of, healthy foods and beverages (). Medically tailored groceries (MTG) are an FIM service that deliver healthy food and beverage items to individuals who have been referred for FIM services but do not have a sufficient means of transportation to access those services (). MTG services advance health equity by promoting access to healthy foods that protect against diet-related chronic diseases among vulnerable individuals with low income and food insecurity (). Food insecurity is an economic and social condition involving insufficient access to nutritious food (). Approximately 13.7% of U.S. households (~18,300,000) experienced food insecurity at some point in 2024 (). Individuals and households experience food insecurity mostly due to financial constraints, but food insecurity can also arise due to a lack of transportation, low food literacy, or limited access to food assistance services (–). Food insecurity has been found to increase the risk of numerous diet-related chronic diseases, including obesity, hypertension, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and cancer (). FIM strategies, like MTG, aim to increase access to nutritious food, which is crucial for addressing the increased rates of diet-related chronic disease among adults with low income (), by delivering healthy foods and beverages directly to the households of those experiencing food insecurity. The purpose of this research was to begin exploring strategies for optimizing FIM impacts by tailoring MTG services to increase consumption, and reduce waste, of foods and beverages that are delivered to food assistance clients. Two primary objectives in this study included (1) identifying MTG clients' healthy food and beverage preferences, and (2) exploring clients' perspectives of the foods and beverages they received in their MTG bags. Given the intention of FIM strategies is to alleviate diet-related chronic disease by increasing access to and consumption of nutritious foods and beverages, it is essential to provide MTG clients with healthy foods and beverages that they want to consume.