Georgia Southern University
This pilot clinical trial will evaluate the feasibility and potential health effects of a nutrition-based intervention among adults living in communities affected by air pollution near the Port of Savannah, Georgia. Participants will be assigned to either a nutrition intervention group or a control group. The intervention group will receive biweekly grocery deliveries emphasizing foods naturally rich in antioxidants and anti-inflammatory nutrients, including vitamins C and E, omega-3 fatty acids, and polyphenols. The control group will continue their usual dietary practices during the study period. The study will evaluate whether the nutritional intervention is associated with changes in selected respiratory, oxidative stress, and cardiometabolic health indicators. Assessments will include fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO) as a marker of airway inflammation, hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) in exhaled breath condensate as a marker of oxidative stress, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, resting heart rate, and glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c). Indoor concentrations of particulate matter (PM), nitrogen dioxide (NO₂), and ozone (O₃) will also be monitored to characterize participants' household air-pollution exposures. Measurements will be collected at baseline and at subsequent study assessments, as specified for each outcome. Findings from this pilot study will be used to evaluate feasibility, estimate changes in health outcomes, and inform the design of a larger clinical trial investigating nutritional approaches to potentially reduce health effects associated with air-pollution exposure.
Exposure to air pollution is associated with oxidative stress and inflammatory responses that may contribute to adverse respiratory and cardiovascular health effects. Nutritional factors may influence antioxidant defenses and inflammatory pathways; however, relatively little intervention research has examined whether improving dietary intake can modify biological responses among individuals experiencing ongoing environmental air-pollution exposures. This pilot clinical trial will investigate the feasibility and potential effects of a food-based nutritional intervention among adults residing in…
Inclusion Criteria: * Residing in Port Wentworth or the Savannah main Channel at a 3-mile radius for the prior 12 months and not planning to move during the study. * Non-smoking status (or specified ANY smoking history) * Absence of pre-existing chronic respiratory conditions (Asthma, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, Seasonal respiratory allergies that require the use of antihistamines or immunosuppressants more than once a month, Chronic Bronchitis, and Heart Failure or any condition that would put participants at a greater risk than other participants for a pre-existing condition. * W…
Participants assigned to the intervention will receive biweekly grocery deliveries containing selected foods naturally rich in antioxidant and anti-inflammatory dietary components, including vitamins C and E, omega-3 fatty acids, and polyphenols. Participants will receive guidance on incorporating the provided foods into their usual dietary patterns. The intervention is designed to increase consumption of nutrient-rich foods and to evaluate the feasibility and potential effects of this dietary approach on respiratory inflammation, oxidative stress, and cardiometabolic outcomes among adults living in a community affected by air pollution.