scholarly journals Toddler Feeding Among Low-income Families Shows Need for Nutrition Education to Address Sweetened Beverages, Unhealthy Snacks, and Responsive Feeding (P11-108-19)

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Lindsay Fenn ◽  
Maria Romo-Palafox ◽  
Jennifer Harris ◽  
Valerie Duffy
Keyword(s):  
Nutrition Education ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
Reading Level ◽  
Foreign Born ◽  
Funding Sources ◽  
Urban City ◽  
Low Income Families ◽  
Targeted Messages ◽  
Unhealthy Snacks

Abstract Objectives To assess low-income parents’ understanding and conformity with expert guidance on feeding young toddlers and identify targeted messages to address gaps. Methods Survey of parents of toddlers (12-36 months) living in a low-income urban city to assess foods/beverages served in the previous week; responsive feeding practices; attitudes about expert guidance; food acculturation and security; and trusted information sources. Participants were recruited primarily from WIC offices and took the survey online. The survey was designed for a low reading level and pretested for understanding and content validity. Results Participants included 134 parents of diverse race/ethnicity (19% White non-Hispanic; 27% foreign born) and 83% WIC participants. Over 60% reported serving a variety of fruits/vegetable and serving them 5 or more times in the past week, 81% said their toddlers ate with the family, and 93% enjoyed mealtimes with their toddler. Yet some common practices did not follow recommendations. For example, 54% reported serving sweetened drinks to toddlers and 17% served sweetened milks. One-half served them in sippy cups for easy consumption and 63% in 8 + oz cups. The majority also served their toddler unhealthy snacks, including sweets (55%), salty snacks (52%) and crackers (78%). Nonresponsive feeding was also common. Only 13% reported that their child mostly/only decides how much to eat, and 55% reported that they make their child finish all food served sometimes/always. Most parents (68%) agreed that they knew best what to feed their child, but the majority also used health professionals and family as sources of nutrition information. The majority would be interested in getting information from doctors/nurses and dietitians, and would like to receive communications via email, handouts, in-person and/or texts. Although 81% used Facebook regularly, they were least interested in receiving health information through social media. Conclusions These results suggest that nutrition education messages focusing on healthier beverages and snacks for toddlers and responsive feeding would benefit low-income parents. Messages from health professionals, including dietitians, would be well-received. Funding Sources Child Health & Development Institute of Connecticut.

scholarly journals WIC Is Critical During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Lessons Learned From Los Angeles County Participants

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (Supplement_2) ◽  
pp. 205-205
Author(s):  
Lauren Au ◽  
Lorrene Ritchie ◽  
Nicole Vital ◽  
Marisa Tsai ◽  
Christopher Anderson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Los Angeles ◽  
Service Delivery ◽  
Nutrition Education ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Safe Delivery ◽  
Funding Sources ◽  
Low Income Families ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Objectives The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the way that the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) delivers services. The USDA granted multiple waivers to allow flexibility in WIC operations during the pandemic. The objective of this study was to hear from WIC participants about the impact of changes due to COVID-19. Methods In the summer of 2020, 60 semi-structured interviews were completed, half with English-speaking and half with Spanish-speaking WIC participants in the Los Angeles area. Interviews were recorded, transcribed, and analyzed using a deductive content analysis approach to describe responses and identify themes. Results Four themes emerged: 1) The pandemic has exacerbated the ckhallenges facing low-income families; 2) WIC continues to be a valued resource especially under the challenging circumstances; 3) WIC's transition to remote service delivery has ensured that families continue to receive not only critical WIC food benefits, but also nutrition education and support; 4) Lessons learned during COVID-19 can inform needed WIC modernizations to maximize WIC's proven benefits post-pandemic. Nearly 75% of WIC participants faced reductions in income due to job loss or reduced work hours. Nearly 60% of households reported experiencing food insecurity. Early in the pandemic, many reported challenges accessing WIC-eligible foods, resulting in lost food benefits. Approximately 43% reported getting food from a food pantry or church, with most (77%) reporting first time usage. Participants shared that even with the change to only remote education, they valued the information and were very satisfied with WIC services. The majority (83%) found the California WIC App helpful in informing what WIC foods they could purchase. Participants also reported that enrolling in WIC remotely was easier than coming in-person and they were comfortable providing documents related to income and eligibility determination remotely. Conclusions WIC has been essential in helping families cope with COVID. WIC's transition to remote service delivery has ensured seamless and safe delivery of services, helping families with young children during an unprecedented time of need. Funding Sources The David and Lucile Packard Foundation

scholarly journals Body composition outcomes of Healthy Fit and the role of acculturation among low-income Hispanics on the US-Mexico border

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Diane I. Lopez ◽  
Lauren Chacon ◽  
Denise Vasquez ◽  
Louis D. Brown
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Body Composition ◽  
Nutrition Education ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Vegetable Consumption ◽  
Overweight And Obesity ◽  
Foreign Born ◽  
Exercise Interventions ◽  
Mexico Border

Abstract Background Hispanic immigrants continue to experience higher rates of overweight and obesity compared to their non-Hispanic counterparts. Acculturation may contribute to unhealthy weight gain among immigrant populations by shifting dietary patterns from high fruit and vegetable consumption to unhealthier high fat diets. Healthy Fit, a culturally tailored community health worker (CHW) intervention, aims to reduce obesity related outcomes by providing physical activity and nutrition education and resources in a low-income Hispanic population. This study aims to evaluate outcomes of Healthy Fit participants and examine changes in body composition in relation to level of acculturation at baseline and follow-up. Method In this longitudinal observational study, CHWs recruited 514 participants from community events and agencies serving low-income Hispanic populations in El Paso, Texas from 2015 to 2016. Following an in-person health screening, eligible participants received nutrition and physical activity education guided by fotonovelas, comic-like educational books. Telephone follow-ups made at 1, 3, and 6 months by CHWs encouraged follow-through on referrals. 288 participants completed the screening again during the 12-month follow-up. Results The sample was predominantly Hispanic (96%), female (82%), uninsured (79%), had a household income of less than $19,999 (70%), foreign-born (79%), preferred Spanish (86%) and few rated themselves as good or excellent for English proficiency (27%). Overall, Healthy Fit participants significantly improved (i.e., decreased) BFP by 0.71% (t = 2.47, p = 0.01) but not BMI (b = .01, t = − 0.14, p = .89). Contrary to expectations, acculturation was not associated with lower BMI (b = 0.09, p = 0.84) or BFP (b = 0.13, p = 0.85) at baseline. However, acculturation predicted changes in both BMI (b = 0.30, p = 0.03) and BFP (b = 1.33, p = 0 .01) from baseline to follow-up. Specifically, the low acculturation group improved in body composition measures over time and the high acculturation group did not improve in either measure. Conclusion Findings suggest Healthy Fit was most effective among less acculturated individuals. The influence of acculturation on the efficacy of nutrition and exercise interventions suggests that Hispanics should not be treated as a homogenous subgroup.

scholarly journals Mobile Phone Apps for Low-Income Participants in a Public Health Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC): Review and Analysis of Features (Preprint)

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Summer J Weber ◽  
Daniela Dawson ◽  
Haley Greene ◽  
Pamela C Hull
Keyword(s):  
Mobile Phone ◽  
Nutrition Education ◽  
Low Income ◽  
The United States ◽  
Infants And Children ◽  
Nutrition Program ◽  
User Reviews ◽  
User Input ◽  
Low Income Families ◽  
Electronic Benefits Transfer

BACKGROUND Since 1972, the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) has been proven to improve the health of participating low-income women and children in the United States. Despite positive nutritional outcomes associated with WIC, the program needs updated tools to help future generations. Improving technology in federal nutrition programs is crucial for keeping nutrition resources accessible and easy for low-income families to use. OBJECTIVE This review aimed to analyze the main features of publicly available mobile phone apps for WIC participants. METHODS Keyword searches were performed in the app stores for the 2 most commonly used mobile phone operating systems between December 2017 and June 2018. Apps were included if they were relevant to WIC and excluded if the target users were not WIC participants. App features were reviewed and classified according to type and function. User reviews from the app stores were examined, including ratings and categorization of user review comments. RESULTS A total of 17 apps met selection criteria. Most apps (n=12) contained features that required verified access available only to WIC participants. Apps features were classified into categories: (1) shopping management (eg, finding and redeeming food benefits), (2) clinic appointment management (eg, appointment reminders and scheduling), (3) informational resources (eg, recipes, general food list, tips about how to use WIC, links to other resources), (4) WIC-required nutrition education modules, and (5) other user input. Positive user reviews indicated that apps with shopping management features were very useful. CONCLUSIONS WIC apps are becoming increasingly prevalent, especially in states that have implemented electronic benefits transfer for WIC. This review offers new contributions to the literature and practice, as practitioners, software developers, and health researchers seek to improve and expand technology in the program.

scholarly journals Boys Are More Likely Than Girls to Participate in Summer Programming: Results From the Project SWEAT Study

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (Supplement_2) ◽  
pp. 132-132
Author(s):  
Laura Hopkins ◽  
Heather Schier ◽  
Leah May ◽  
Miranda Westrick ◽  
Devin O'Piela ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Nutrition Education ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Urban Neighborhoods ◽  
Demographic Characteristics ◽  
Text Messages ◽  
Published Data ◽  
Summer Program ◽  
Chi Square ◽  
Funding Sources ◽  
Study Participants

Abstract Objectives There are no published data on which children are at risk for not engaging in programming during the summer window of risk. The objective of this study was to compare the demographic characteristics of children who do (“attenders”) and do not (“non-attenders”) participate in summer programming. Methods Project SWEAT was a prospective observational study of pre-K through 5th grade children residing in low-income, urban neighborhoods. Caregivers were texted weekly during the summer (10 weeks) by the research team to gather information on their child's attendance in programming. Text messages stated, “Hello from Project SWEAT! How many days this week did [Child Name] attend a summer program? Please respond with a number from 0–5, where 0 – no days, 2 – 2 days, etc.” Attenders were defined as having attended ≥1 day of programming during the summer and non-attenders as 0 days. Chi-square was conducted to determine differences in demographic characteristics according to attender status. Results Attendance data were collected from 88.50% of the study sample (n = 100 out of 113). Mean age was 7.03 ± 0.23 years; 52.00% (n = 52), 70.10% (n = 68), and 80.00% (n = 80) were female, low-income, and Black, respectively. Almost one-third (32.99%, n = 32) were classified as overweight (19.59%, n = 19) or obese (13.40%, n = 13) at baseline. Fifty-one % (n = 51) of study participants were classified as attenders, and 49.00% (n = 49) were non-attenders. Mean attendance was 10.40 ± 1.43 days. Attenders were more likely to be male (62.75% [n = 32] vs. 37.25% [n = 19], P < 0.01). Conclusions Children who are female are significantly less likely to attend summer programming than male participants. Given that summertime is a window of risk for child health (e.g., inappropriate weight gain) and food security, further research needs to be conducted to understand who and why certain children are attending summer programming. Funding Sources USDA North Central Nutrition Education Center for Excellence.

Planting Seeds to Grow Healthy Children: Strategic Community Partnerships

2018 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
pp. 78-84
Author(s):  
Jessica Alicea-Planas ◽  
Kelly Sullivan ◽  
Hang Tran ◽  
Anna Cruz
Keyword(s):  
Focus Groups ◽  
Nutrition Education ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Community Partnerships ◽  
Healthy Food ◽  
Healthy Children ◽  
Participant Satisfaction ◽  
Inner Cities ◽  
Low Income Families ◽  
Main Ideas

More than one third of U.S adults are considered obese, and childhood obesity has more than doubled in the past 30 years. Food security can influence obesity, in particular, within inner cities where access to healthy food is often limited. The use of a mobile food truck program (with refrigeration) was implemented in two large inner cities in Connecticut as part of an initiative aimed at helping low-income families with young children gain access to healthy food and nutrition education. Collaborating with community child care centers was used. The experiences of the families who participated in the program were assessed via focus groups. Main ideas derived from the focus groups were participant satisfaction with money saving suggestions, ideas for how to make healthier choices, and excitement about opportunities to receive foods that they would not normally buy. This innovative mobile food truck program demonstrated the value of strategic community partnerships to influence health.

Tools to Assess Nutrition Education with Low-Income Families

2001 ◽  
Vol 33 ◽  
pp. S1 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jon Weimer ◽  
Patricia McKinney ◽  
Linda K. Benning
Keyword(s):  
Nutrition Education ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Low Income Families

scholarly journals Perceptions of nutrition education classes offered in conjunction with a community-supported agriculture intervention among low-income families

2020 ◽  
pp. 1-9
Author(s):  
Isabel Lu ◽  
Karla L Hanson ◽  
Stephanie B Jilcott Pitts ◽  
Jane Kolodinsky ◽  
Alice S Ammerman ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
New York ◽  
Nutrition Education ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Social Engagement ◽  
A Priori ◽  
Nutrition Knowledge ◽  
Food Preservation ◽  
Community Supported Agriculture ◽  
Cost Offset ◽  
Low Income Families

Abstract Objective: To examine participants’ experiences with nutrition education classes that were implemented with and designed to complement a cost-offset community-supported agriculture (CSA) programme. Design: Qualitative analysis of data from twenty-eight focus groups with ninety-six participants enrolled in Farm Fresh Foods for Healthy Kids (F3HK). Transcribed data were coded and analysed by a priori and emergent themes. Setting: Rural and micropolitan communities in New York, North Carolina, Vermont and Washington (USA). Participants: Ninety-six F3HK participants. Results: Participants found recipes and class activities helpful and reported improvements in nutrition knowledge, food preservation skills and home cooking behaviours for themselves and their children; they also reported that classes promoted a sense of community. Some educators better incorporated CSA produce into lessons, which participants reported as beneficial. Other obligations and class logistics were barriers to attendance; participants recommended that lessons be offered multiple times weekly at different times of day. Other suggestions included lengthening class duration to encourage social engagement; emphasising recipes to incorporate that week’s CSA produce and pantry staples and offering additional strategies to incorporate children in classes. Conclusion: Complementing a cost-offset CSA with nutrition education may enhance programme benefits to low-income families by improving nutrition knowledge and cooking behaviours. However, future interventions will benefit from ongoing coordination between educators and local growing trajectories to maximise timely coverage of unfamiliar produce in lessons; synchronous scheduling of CSA pick-up and classes for participant convenience and creative strategies to engage children and/or provide childcare.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document