0238 Campus Food Pantry Assistance is Related to Better Physical And Mental Health Through Adequate Sleep Among College Students in a Public University System

Abstract Introduction Food insecurity is an issue among students in higher education and has been linked to insufficient sleep, and poor mental and general health. College campuses have quickly responded by establishing campus food pantries. However, the extent to which campus food pantries are ameliorating the impacts of food insecurity is unknown. Methods Online survey data were collected from a cross-sectional sample of 1,855 students who were food pantry users in the 10-campus UC system. Students were asked to report their number of visits to a food pantry in the past month, and to rate their general health, depressive symptoms, and number of days of enough sleep (in a week) before and after food pantry access. Changes in days of enough sleep, depressive symptoms and general health were computed. Demographic characteristics were obtained from institutional data. Path analysis was used to examine direct and indirect pathways from food pantry use to depressive symptoms and general health through enough sleep days, controlling for workstudy receipt, Pell grant receipt and family income. Results Students on average were 21.7 years old (SD= 3.5), and had more days of adequate sleep (25%), and improved depressive symptoms (43%) and general health (31%) after obtaining services from a campus food pantry. An increase in monthly food pantry use was directly related to a decrease in depressive symptoms (β= 0.08, p<0.001) and an increase in general health (β= 0.07, p=0.001). Additionally, an increase in food pantry use related to an increase in getting more days of enough sleep (β=0.07, p=0.001), which in turn positively related to a decrease in depressive symptoms (β=0.18, p<0.001) and improved general health (β=0.24, p<0.001). Conclusion Food pantry use had a positive relationship with student health outcomes, and enough sleep days played an important mediating role. Findings suggest that emergency food access may have a positive impact on student health outcomes. Support This study was funded by the UC Campus Basic Needs Committees.

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Pilot testing an intervention to educate and promote nutritious choices at food pantries

Journal of Public Health ◽

10.1007/s10389-021-01570-6 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Sarah L. McKee ◽

Eminet Abebe Gurganus ◽

Abiodun T. Atoloye ◽

Ran Xu ◽

Katie Martin ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Food Insecurity ◽

Diet Quality ◽

Food System ◽

Saturated Fat ◽

Comparison Study ◽

Regression Analyses ◽

Food Pantry ◽

Food Pantries ◽

Client Choice ◽

The Impact

Abstract Aim This study aimed to assess the impact of the Supporting Wellness at Pantries (SWAP) system on client food selections at a food pantry. Subject and methods In a pre–post comparison study design, a client-choice food pantry implemented SWAP by reorganizing its inventory to promote healthy options. Each product was ranked as “choose often” (green), “sometimes” (yellow), or “rarely” (red) based on saturated fat, sodium, and sugar. Signage was added to indicate each item’s SWAP rank and healthier foods were placed at eye level. Client food baskets were assessed at time 1 (n = 121) and time 2 (n = 101). The proportions of green and red foods selected were compared using regression analyses. Results The regression analyses showed that the proportion of green foods selected by clients increased by 11% (p < 0.001) and the proportion of red foods selected decreased by 7% (p < 0.001) after SWAP was implemented (n = 222). Conclusions SWAP has the potential to positively shift client choices among the items available in a food pantry setting. SWAP is one component of a suite of changes to the charitable food system that have the potential to alleviate food insecurity, improve diet quality, and assist clients in managing diet-related diseases.

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The Mediating Role of Depressive Symptoms in the Association Between Food Insecurity and HIV Related Health Outcomes Among HIV–HCV Co-Infected People

AIDS and Behavior ◽

10.1007/s10461-020-02784-7 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 24 (7) ◽

pp. 2188-2194

Author(s):

Wusiman Aibibula ◽

Joseph Cox ◽

Anne-Marie Hamelin ◽

Marina B. Klein ◽

Paul Brassard

Keyword(s):

Depressive Symptoms ◽

Health Outcomes ◽

Food Insecurity ◽

Infected People ◽

Mediating Role

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The Impact of Grit on Health Outcomes in College Students

Current Developments in Nutrition ◽

10.1093/cdn/nzab038_067 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 5 (Supplement_2) ◽

pp. 455-455

Author(s):

Amelia Sullivan ◽

Leigh Neptune ◽

Kayla Parsons ◽

Ashley Reynolds ◽

Carol Byrd-Bredbenner ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Health Outcomes ◽

Food Insecurity ◽

Undergraduate Students ◽

Online Survey ◽

Future Research ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Convenience Sample ◽

Experiment Station ◽

College Undergraduate ◽

The Impact

Abstract Objectives The objective was to examine the relationship between grit and health outcomes in college undergraduate students. Methods A cross-sectional convenience sample of college undergraduate students completed an online survey assessing Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQOL), the National Cancer Institute Fruit and Vegetable Screener, and the 2-item Hager Food Insecurity Screener. Grit was assessed by generating a mean score using the 8-item short grit scale. Independent t-tests were used to compare health outcomes between students who reported above/below the average grit score of the sample. Chi-square tests were used to examine group differences between grit level and prevalence of food insecurity. Results Participants (N = 655) were 19.8 ± 1.5 years old, mostly female (63%), and white (84%). The average grit score was 3.27 ± 0.54 out of 5. Results indicated that students who were grittier than average (n = 372) reported fewer days/months (d/m) with poor mental health (8.1 ± 8.5 vs. 11.6 ± 9.6, P < 0.001), fewer d/m feeling sad/depressed (6.2 ± 7.7 vs. 9.9 ± 9.3, P < 0.001), more d/m with restful sleep (12.9 ± 9.8 vs. 10.3 ± 8.6, P < 0.001), more d/m feeling very healthy and full of energy (12.6 ± 8.8 vs. 8.4 ± 7.5, P < 0.001), and ate more servings of fruits and vegetables per day (2.4 ± 1.3 vs. 2.1 ± 1.32, P < 0.01). Grittier participants were also less likely to report being food insecure (16.0%) vs. less grittier participants (23.3%), P < 0.05. Conclusions This data indicates that students who were grittier than average reported better HRQOL, consumed a more healthful diet, and were more likely to be food secure. This provides justification for future research to explore grit as a mediating factor that may contribute to better health outcomes, especially in populations particularly susceptible to experiencing poor HRQOL and food insecurity. Funding Sources This project was supported by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture, Hatch project number #ME0022104 through the Maine Agricultural & Forest Experiment Station. NJ Agriculture Experiment Station.

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Food Insecurity and Mental Health Trajectories During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Longitudinal Evidence

Innovation in Aging ◽

10.1093/geroni/igab046.1578 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 5 (Supplement_1) ◽

pp. 408-409

Author(s):

Dexia Kong ◽

Peiyi Lu ◽

Elissa Kozlov ◽

Mack Shelley

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Depressive Symptoms ◽

Longitudinal Data ◽

Health Outcomes ◽

Food Insecurity ◽

Repeated Measures ◽

Mental Health Outcomes ◽

Mixed Effect ◽

Health Trajectories ◽

Over Time

Abstract The extent to which food insecurity impacts changes in mental health outcomes over time in the context of Covid-19 remains unknown. Using longitudinal data from a nationally representative survey, the objectives of the present study were to: (1) assess the prevalence of food insecurity among U.S. adults amid the Covid-19 pandemic; and (2) investigate the relationships between food insecurity statuses and changes in mental health outcomes over time as the pandemic unfolds. Longitudinal data from the Internet-based Understanding Coronavirus in America survey collected bi-weekly between April and December 2020 were used (n=4,068, 15 repeated measures). Adult respondents (aged ≥18) were asked about their food insecurity experiences and stress/anxiety/depressive symptoms. Linear mixed-effect models examined changes in mental health outcomes over time among groups with various food insecurity statuses. Overall prevalence of food insecurity was 8%. Food insecurity was consistently associated with higher levels of stress/anxiety/depressive symptoms (p<0.001). Stress/anxiety/depressive symptoms declined over time among food-secured U.S adults. However, mental health trajectories of respondents with various food insecurity categories, including food insecurity status, persistent food insecurity, and food insecurity of higher severity and longer duration, remained stable or worsened over time. Moreover, the mental health gap between food-secured and food-unsecured participants widened over time. Food insecurity represents a pressing public health problem during the Covid-19 pandemic with substantial mental health implications. Persistent and severe food insecurity may contribute to mental health disparity in the long term. Food insecurity reduction interventions may alleviate the estimated alarming mental health burden as the pandemic unfolds.

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Outcomes of disease prevention and management interventions in food pantries and food banks: protocol for a scoping review

BMJ Open ◽

10.1136/bmjopen-2017-018022 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 7 (10) ◽

pp. e018022 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Christopher R Long ◽

Brett Rowland ◽

Susan C Steelman ◽

Pearl A McElfish

Keyword(s):

Disease Prevention ◽

Food Insecurity ◽

Scoping Review ◽

Great Promise ◽

Food Banks ◽

Food Bank ◽

Food Pantry ◽

Or Management ◽

Management Interventions ◽

Food Pantries

IntroductionFood insecurity is a difficulty faced in many households. During periods of food insecurity, households often seek food supplied by food pantries and food banks. Food insecurity has been associated with increased risk for several health conditions. For this reason, food pantries and food banks may have great promise as intervention sites, and health researchers have begun targeting food pantries and food banks as sites for disease prevention or management interventions. The aim of the scoping review is to examine disease prevention or management interventions implemented in food pantries and food banks.Methods and analysisRelevant electronic databases (eg, MEDLINE, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature-CINAHL Complete, Science Citation Index, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews) will be searched for articles with a publication date of 1997 or later using Medical Subject Headings and key terms, including food aid, food banks, food pantries, food shelves, hunger, food insecurity and related concepts. For each de-duplicated study record identified by the search strategy, two reviewers will independently assess whether the study meets eligibility criteria (eg, related to intervention type, context). The reviewers will examine studies’ titles, abstracts and full text, comparing eligibility decisions to address any discrepancies. For each eligible study, data extraction will be executed by two reviewers independently, comparing extracted data to address any discrepancies. Extracted data will be synthesised and reported in a narrative review assessing the coverage and gaps in existing literature related to disease prevention and management interventions implemented in food pantries.Ethics and disseminationThe review’s results will be useful to healthcare practitioners who work with food-insecure populations, healthcare researchers and food pantry or food bank personnel. The results of this scoping review will be submitted for publication to a peer-reviewed journal, and the authors will share the findings with food pantry and food bank stakeholder groups with whom they work.

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Food Insecurity Is Associated With Depressive Symptoms Among Brazilian Community Older Adults

Innovation in Aging ◽

10.1093/geroni/igaa057.775 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽

pp. 240-241

Author(s):

Carolina Freiria ◽

Graziele Silva ◽

Larissa Hara ◽

André Fattori ◽

Flavia Borim ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Depressive Symptoms ◽

Older People ◽

Health Outcomes ◽

Food Insecurity ◽

Sex Education ◽

Functional Limitations ◽

Depression Scale ◽

Short Version ◽

International Studies ◽

Negative Health Outcomes

Abstract Food security can be defined as when the individual has access to food consumption in adequate quality and quantity, respecting aspects such as age, physiological condition and cultural habits. While international studies showed the association of Food Insecurity (FI) and many negative health outcomes, like depressive symptoms, less is known about food insecurity among older people in Brazil, especially about its association with health. The aim of this study is to analyze the relationship between FI and Depressive Symptoms (DS) among community older Brazilian adults. Were included in this study 493 community older people with 60+. Geriatric Depression Scale were used to measure DS and for assessment of FI was used the short version of the Brazilian Food Insecurity Scale, added with one question involving functional limitations to buy food. Logistic regression was used to estimate the odds ratio (OR) adjusted for covariates (e.g., sex, education, age and familiar income). The prevalence of FI were 42.4% and the prevalence of DS were 71.5% of population. The prevalence of DS was higher in the group with FI than among those without F (78.9% vs 65.8% respectively; p=0.001). In the adjusted regression analysis, the chance of presenting positive symptomatology for depression was 1.87 times higher among the older people with FI (CI 1.18 –2.91; p=0.007). The findings demonstrate high prevalence of FI and DS indicating the importance of FI screening among community-based older people in order to avoid possible negative health outcomes in this population, such as the development of depressive symptoms.

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Choice Food Pantries in the Deep South: A Novel Approach to Addressing Food Insecurity in Older Adults

Innovation in Aging ◽

10.1093/geroni/igaa057.2795 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽

pp. 773-773

Author(s):

David Buys ◽

Masey Smith ◽

Erin King

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Food Insecurity ◽

Technical Assistance ◽

Choice Model ◽

Grocery Stores ◽

Deep South ◽

Food Pantry ◽

Food Pantries ◽

Novel Approach ◽

Emergency Food Assistance

Abstract Older adults in the deep south are living with high food insecurity rates; this is exacerbated by challenges with rural-living, like transportation limitations and no grocery stores. To address this, we must increase emergency food assistance offerings and adopt best practices for food pantries including choice food pantry approaches, which empowers clients with some autonomy in choosing the foods they receive as part of their pantry distribution. Coalitions in eight income-limited, aging, rural Mississippi Delta counties received support from a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Grant to enhance the food-related infrastructure in their communities through technical assistance and economic investments. A detailed process evaluation was conducted on this effort. Each coalition adopted food pantry-related policies like adding new food pantries and adapting their existing food pantries with the choice model. Both aging volunteers and clients indicated positive outcomes from the process of adding pantries and adapting existing ones.

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Efficacy of Augmented Food Pantry Services in Addressing Food Insecurity

Current Developments in Nutrition ◽

10.1093/cdn/nzaa043_122 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 4 (Supplement_2) ◽

pp. 271-271

Author(s):

Ronit Ridberg ◽

Morgan Smith ◽

Ronli Levi ◽

Elaine Waxman ◽

Hilary Seligman

Keyword(s):

Food Security ◽

Food Insecurity ◽

Food System ◽

Kidney Diseases ◽

Phase 1 ◽

Controlled Study ◽

Robert Wood Johnson Foundation ◽

Food Pantry ◽

Food Pantries ◽

Feeding America

Abstract Objectives Almost 1 in 9 Americans obtain food from a food bank or food pantry every year to help make ends meet. Despite this scope and scale, the efficacy of the charitable food system at alleviating food insecurity is still unclear. This study aimed to determine whether food distributed at food pantries as part of a comprehensive diabetes self-management support program, changed food security status for adults with diabetes. Methods This is a secondary, prespecified analysis of a larger randomized, controlled study (the FAITH-DM trial) conducted in 27 food pantries in Detroit MI; Houston, TX; and Oakland, CA (2015–2018). We screened 5329 adults for diabetes, and individually randomized 568 participants with hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) 7.5% or greater to an immediate 6-month intervention (including bimonthly food, diabetes education, health care referral and glucose monitoring) or to receive the intervention after a 6-month delay (cross-over design). For this analysis, primary outcome was food insecurity, measured at baseline, 6 months and 12 months, using the 10-item USDA food security modules scaled as a continuous Rasch score and then compared using difference-in-differences analyses. Results Participants were racially/ethnically diverse (51% Latino/Hispanic, 33% African American), with a mean age of 55 (range 23–86) and predominantly female (69%). In both trial phases, food security scores improved for individuals receiving the intervention and worsened for those not receiving the intervention. On a 12-point Rasch scale, differences between groups ranged from 0.627 points in Phase 1 (95% CI: –1.16, –0.099, P = .02) to 0.879 in Phase 2 (95% CI: –1.46, –0.303, P = 0.003). Conclusions Preliminary results of this cross-over design suggest a causal relationship between healthy food interventions at food banks and improving food security for adults with diabetes. Funding Sources Funding for the Feeding America Intervention Trial for Health—Diabetes Mellitus (FAITH-DM) was provided by Feeding America, the Laura and John Arnold Foundation, the Urban Institute via a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation grant, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases of the National Institutes of Health under award P30DK092924, and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention under award 3U48DP004998–01S1. Support for RAR by HRSA QSCERT-PC Program (grant no. T32HP30037).

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Depression during COVID-19 Pandemic in India: Findings from an Online Survey

International Journal of Preventive Curative & Community Medicine ◽

10.24321/2454.325x.202008 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 06 (02) ◽

pp. 16-21

Author(s):

Tanu Anand ◽

Keyword(s):

Depressive Symptoms ◽

Online Survey ◽

Protective Factor ◽

Family Income ◽

Severe Depression ◽

Female Gender ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Symptoms Of Depression ◽

Coronavirus Infection

Introduction: Unprecedented crisis of COVID-19 pandemic has generated uncertainties in minds of people thereby impacting their mental health. Global evidence supports rising trend of symptoms of depression among general population during the pandemic. Material and Method: It was a cross-sectional study conducted between April 15 and May 01, 2020. Data were collected using pre-structured questionnaire that was circulated through a web-based link via messages and mails. Depressive symptoms were assessed using Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9). Data were analyzed using SPSS version 23. Result: Out of the total 500 telephonic contacts who were sent the survey link, 478 had (95.6%) responded. There were 114 (23.8%), 64 (13.4%), 40 (8.4%) and 29 (6.1%) participants who were classified as having mild, moderate, moderately severe and severe depression respectively. Female gender, religion, education status, unemployment and professional occupation, income less than Rs. 20000 and more than Rs. 40000, ‘scare for coronavirus infection’ were found to be significantly associated with severity of depression (p<0.05). Adjusted analysis revealed that age was protective factor where as those who were scared from coronavirus infection were found to be two times more at risk of having symptoms of depression. Increasing family income was also associated with presence of depressive symptoms. Conclusions: The proportion of participants with depressive symptoms was 51.7%. There is a need for assessing psychosocial impact of COVID-19 among populations and communities in varied settings over a long period of time.

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Food Insecurity in the Academic Community During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Current Developments in Nutrition ◽

10.1093/cdn/nzab029_024 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 5 (Supplement_2) ◽

pp. 223-223

Author(s):

Jéssica Gomes ◽

Mariana Bona ◽

Carlos Torres ◽

Ana Mota ◽

Ramya Ambikapathi ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Food Insecurity ◽

Online Survey ◽

Family Income ◽

Population Data ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Academic Community ◽

The Other ◽

Administrative Staff ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

White Ethnicity

Abstract Objectives To investigate the food insecurity of undergraduate and post-graduation students, administrative staff, and professors during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods This is an observational, cross-sectional study, with data collection from October to December 2020 at the Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil. The participants answered an online survey with questions on socioeconomic status, demographics, and food insecurity (Brazilian Food Insecurity Scale). A logistic regression model was constructed to investigate socioeconomic variables associated with food insecurity. Results Overall, 1327 volunteers participated in the study; 66.5% were undergraduates, 8.5% post-graduation students, 13.5% administrative staff, and 11.5% professors. Undergraduates presented a higher prevalence of African-Americans than the other studied groups (11.4% vs. 5.3% in post-graduation students, 5.0% in administrative servers, 3.9% professors, P = 0.004). 23.2% of the undergraduates presented an income up to the minimum wage vs. 1.8% in post-graduation students, 0.6% in administrative servers, and 0.0% in professors (P < 0.0005). More undergraduates and post-graduation students had more reduced family income during the pandemic than other groups (44.3% and 41.6%, respectively vs. 37.6% in administrative staff and 28.1% in professors, P < 0.0005). Food insecurity was more present in undergraduates (32.1% with mild food insecurity, 11.5% moderate and 4.8% severe), than in the other studied groups (post-graduation students: 25.7% mild, 2.7% moderate and 2.6% severe; administrative servers: 19% mild, 1.7% moderate, 0.0% severe; professors: 9.8% mild, 0.0% moderate or severe; P < 0.0005). Food insecurity was associated with reduction of family income due to the pandemic (OR = 2.14, 95%CI = 1.68–2.74) and belonging to white ethnicity (OR = 0.69, 95%CI = 0.53–0.90). Conclusions Undergraduates presented more food insecurity than the other studied groups. Food insecurity was associated with reduction of family income due to the pandemic and belonging to white ethnicity protected against food insecurity in the study population. Data shows the need for urgent public policy implementation directed to the undergraduates to guarantee the human right to adequate feeding, aiming for food security. Funding Sources CAPES – Brasil (001) and CNPq (405837/2016-0)

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