Clemson Rural Health (CRH) launched Protein Rx, a first-of-its-kind program focused on addressing malnutrition in adults through protein prescriptions and nutrition education, one year ago. In that time, participants have seen measurable improvement in their health outcomes.
This unique, multidisciplinary healthcare approach utilized food as medicine to improve the quality of life for individuals from 18 to 80 years old who had been diagnosed with malnutrition. Participants had also been discharged from the hospital within 90 days of starting the program.
Brooke Brittain, registered dietitian, certified health education specialist and associate director of food and nutrition security for Clemson Rural Health, led CRH’s successful produce prescription program, Veggie Rx, and serves as principal investigator for Protein Rx.
In partnership with Bon Secours St. Francis Downtown, participants received protein-rich food boxes twice a month for five months and prerecorded cooking demonstrations. Boxes included shelf-stable foods such as nuts, seeds, canned chicken and salmon, supplements, protein shakes and grains, as well as recipes and nutrition education materials.
At the start of the program, participants were severely malnourished. After five months, all participants experienced weight gain, increased appetite, energy and strength, and improved recovery time during subsequent hospitalizations. Results were measured by improved health outcomes and through surveys before and after each box.
“We could not have asked for a more dedicated group for our first cohort of Protein Rx participants. The measurable improvements to their health are indicative of their commitment to the program. They were highly engaged with the resources, and their enthusiasm for learning new ways to incorporate protein into their diets was inspiring. As we look to the future of Protein Rx, we plan to build on this success and continue to improve health outcomes for individuals facing malnutrition across South Carolina,” said Brittain.
Over three semesters, Brittain led an undergraduate Creative Inquiry (CI) course where students gained hands-on experience in the development and implementation of a public health and research campaign. Students developed key Protein Rx program materials, including recipe guides, online tutorials and recruitment flyers and conducted qualitative research by interviewing participants and delivering surveys to gather feedback on each individual’s health and experiences.
Maya Vazquez, a senior in the Department of Public Health Sciences, participated in Brittain’s CI course for all three semesters. She said the opportunity to take part in the project from beginning to end provided unique insight into how a public health initiative transforms over time and elevated her student experience through the real-world application of classroom learning.
“From development and implementation to data collection, I learned the scope of a successful research study and gained valuable hands-on experience in community health,” said Vazquez. “It was incredibly rewarding to interact with participants and watch their health outcomes improve in real-time.”
Moving forward, Clemson Rural Health will offer both research and program options to reach more individuals experiencing malnutrition. Protein Rx will remain the research arm and expand to include participants undergoing cancer treatment. The program arm will be rebranded and begin accepting participants in the new year. Together, these efforts will allow CRH to reach more people and continue to improve health outcomes across South Carolina and beyond.
Clemson Rural Health is a part of the College of Behavioral, Social and Health Sciences. Established in July 2016, CBSHS is a 21st-century, land-grant college that combines work in nine disciplines – communication; nursing; parks, recreation and tourism management; political science; psychology; public health sciences; sociology, anthropology and criminal justice – to further its mission of “building people and communities” in South Carolina and beyond.
