“Given associations of perceived health with mortality and of sustained higher levels of alpha diversity with decreasing risk of heart disease, diabetes, sarcopenia, and obesity (conditions prevalent among cancer survivors), these effects are noteworthy,” the authors wrote. Alpha diversity refers to a measure of bacterial diversity in the gut. The trial included 381 cancer survivors in Alabama aged 50 and older who were at increased risk of chronic disease because they ate less than five servings of fruit and vegetables and performed less than 150 minutes of weekly physical activity.
Participants were randomly assigned to two groups: one that would begin the trial immediately (194 participants) and another placed on a waitlist to start the following year (187). The trial began in Jefferson County, Alabama, in 2013 but was expanded in 2017 to include participants from 26 other counties. It concluded in 2022.
Cancer survivors who lived independently were given one raised-bed garden or four grow boxes with seeds, gardening tools, and other resources needed to start a home-based vegetable garden. They were provided biweekly mentoring and guidance on planning, planting, and caring for a garden by certified master gardeners from the Alabama Cooperative Extension System. The research team measured participants’ strength, balance, and agility.
They also collected data on vegetable and fruit consumption and physical activity levels. Principal investigator Wendy Demark-Wahnefried.