Food Skills Education and Low-Income Adults’ Healthy Food Choices

2021 ◽  
pp. 0272684X2110049
Author(s):  
Jennifer A. Pooler ◽  
Mithuna Srinivasan ◽  
Karen Wong ◽  
Jonathan L. Blitstein
Keyword(s):  
Diet Quality ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Comparison Group ◽  
Food Choices ◽  
Healthy Food ◽  
Food Groups ◽  
Low Income Families ◽  
Skills Education ◽  
Item Scale

Background The Cooking Matters food skills education program equips low-income families with the skills and knowledge to shop for and cook healthy meals within budget and time constraints. Aims To explore whether participation in Cooking Matters is associated with healthier food choices using a 6-item scale, comprised of a variety of food categories. Methods Cooking Matters participants (n = 332) and a comparison group (n = 336) completed surveys at baseline, 3-, and 6-month follow-up. Results Cooking Matters participants experienced greater improvements in healthy choices overall (p < 0.0001) and for each of the six underlying items at 3 month follow-up. Improvements were sustained at 6-month follow-up overall and for all categories, except low-fat milk (p = 0.1168). Discussion Participation in Cooking Matters was associated with improvements in overall healthy food choices across a variety of food groups and maintained at 6-month follow-up. Enabling healthy food choices is an important step toward improved diet quality.

scholarly journals Retail-based healthy food point-of-decision prompts (PDPs) increase healthy food choices in a rural, low-income, minority community

PLoS ONE ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 13 (12) ◽  
pp. e0207792 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christopher R. Gustafson ◽  
Rachel Kent ◽  
Michael R. Prate
Keyword(s):  
Low Income ◽  
Food Choices ◽  
Healthy Food ◽  
Minority Community

scholarly journals The Association of Knowledge, Attitudes and Access with Park Use before and after a Park-Prescription Intervention for Low-Income Families in the U.S.

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (3) ◽  
pp. 701 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nooshin Razani ◽  
Nancy K. Hills ◽  
Doug Thompson ◽  
George W. Rutherford
Keyword(s):  
Low Income ◽  
Secondary Data ◽  
Family Characteristics ◽  
Urban Setting ◽  
Park Use ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Unit Increase ◽  
Low Income Families ◽  
Perceived Access

We conducted secondary data analyses of pooled data from a clinical trial that prescribed park visits to children and their caregivers in a low-income, urban setting. Data were collected at the prescribing visit (baseline) and at one and three months of follow up from 78 families. Family characteristics were identified at baseline; regression models were used to explore changes during follow up in associations of park use with knowledge, attitudes and perceived access to parks. At baseline, park users differed from non-users in demographics, knowledge of park locations, attitudes about the value of park visits, but not affinity for nature. Park users were also more likely than non-users to feel that their neighborhood was safe for children to play in. Changes in knowledge of park locations, nature affinity, and perceived access to parks were each significantly associated with increased park use by families at one and three months after the park prescription. Adjusting for age, gender, race, poverty, and US birth, increases in knowing the location of parks were associated with an increase of 0.27 weekly park visits (95% CI 0.05, 0.49; p = 0.016); increases in feeling a caregiver had money to visit parks were associated with 0.48 more weekly park visits (95% CI 0.28, 0.69; p < 0.001); increases in perceived money for park outings were associated with 0.24 increased park visits per week (95% CI 0.05, 0.42; p = 0.01); each unit increase in nature affinity was associated with 0.34 more weekly park visits (95% CI 0.09, 0.59; p = 0.007). In other words, knowing where to go, valuing nature, and having time, and money contributed to increased likelihood of visiting a park. We discuss in terms of health behavior theory how demographics, knowledge, attitudes and perceived barriers to park use can inform park prescription interventions.

scholarly journals Role of Alternative Caregivers in Food Choices for Young Children in Semi-urban and Urban Mexico

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (Supplement_2) ◽  
pp. 959-959
Author(s):  
Gabriela Armendariz ◽  
Edward Frongillo ◽  
Ligia Reyes ◽  
Anabelle Bonveccho ◽  
Christine Blake
Keyword(s):  
South Carolina ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Research University ◽  
Vice President ◽  
Food Choices ◽  
Healthy Food ◽  
Theory Approach ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
University Of South Carolina ◽  
Convenience Sample

Abstract Objectives This work aimed to understand what alternative caregivers value in making food choices for children and the perspectives of alternative caregivers on their role in making food choices to feed children. Methods This qualitative study was conducted in low-income semi-urban and urban communities of the State of Mexico, Mexico. Primary caregivers of children aged 12–59 months named people they considered alternative caregivers. A convenience sample was used for the selection of 16 alternative caregivers. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with alternative caregivers. On average interviews lasted 37.2 minutes; interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. All Transcriptions were read, coded, and analyzed using a grounded theory approach. NVivo 10 was used for data management and analysis. Results Alternative caregivers were related to children as grandmothers (n = 10), fathers (2), aunts (2), uncle (1), and friend (1). Their average age was 52 years. The highest education was technical school and the lowest was no schooling. Most were homemakers. Almost all shared the same house or land with the children. Alternative caregivers chose the foods fed to children based on how nutritious and healthy food was, children, wanting or desiring certain food, their desire of the child to eat well, the affordability of the food, and how appropriate the food was for the age of children. Alternative caregivers described more influence on the process of decisions about food purchase, cooking, and feeding the child when they were closely related to the child and lived in the same household or land. Alternative caregivers who were not as active in all the process of decisions participated with advice to mothers on what to feed the child. When alternative caregivers expressed affection for children, they showed more interest in what children eat. Conclusions Alternative caregivers had a substantial role in the process of making food choices for children. Considering how alternative caregivers participate and influence what children eat may be important in efforts to promote healthy food choices for children. Funding Sources Office of the Vice President for Research, University of South Carolina

scholarly journals Affordability of Heathy, Equitable and More Sustainable Diets in Low-Income Households in Brisbane before and during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Nutrients ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (12) ◽  
pp. 4386
Author(s):  
Amanda J. Lee ◽  
Dori Patay ◽  
Lisa-Maree Herron ◽  
Ru Chyi Tan ◽  
Evelyn Nicoll ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Minimum Wage ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Household Income ◽  
Food Groups ◽  
Sustainable Diets ◽  
Cost Differential ◽  
Low Income Families ◽  
The Cost ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Low Income Households

The COVID-19 pandemic has increased food insecurity worldwide, yet there has been limited assessment of shifts in the cost and affordability of healthy, equitable and sustainable diets. This study explores the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and income supplements provided by the Australian government on diet cost and affordability for low-income households in an Australian urban area. The Healthy Diets ASAP method protocol was applied to assess the cost and cost differential of current and recommended diets before (in 2019) and during the COVID-19 pandemic (late 2020) for households with a minimum-wage and welfare-only disposable household income, by area of socioeconomic disadvantage, in Greater Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. Data were collected between August and October, 2020, from 78 food outlets and compared with data collected in the same locations between May and October, 2019, in an earlier study. The price of most healthy food groups increased significantly during the pandemic—with the exception of vegetables and legumes, which decreased. Conversely, the price of discretionary foods and drinks did not increase during the pandemic. The cost of the current and recommended diets significantly increased throughout this period, but the latter continued to be less expensive than the former. Due to income supplements provided between May and September 2020, the affordability of the recommended diet improved greatly, by 27% and 42%, for households with minimum-wage and welfare-only disposable household income, respectively. This improvement in the affordability of the recommended diet highlights the need to permanently increase welfare support for low-income families to ensure food security.

Food, Nutrients, and Health

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
George C. Davis ◽  
Elena L. Serrano
Keyword(s):  
Diet Quality ◽  
Causes Of Death ◽  
Food Choices ◽  
Healthy Food ◽  
Dietary Guidelines ◽  
The Us ◽  
Key Concepts ◽  
Dietary Guidelines For Americans

Chapter 1 begins by covering key concepts in nutrition, including the function of nutrients and foods in overall health and the leading causes of death in the US. It then discusses the major nutrition recommendation formats designed to ideally simplify healthy food choices, such as the Nutrition Facts Label, MyPlate, and the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. The chapter closes with a presentation and discussion of some of the most common nutrition indices used in practice and research for measuring overall nutrient and diet quality.

scholarly journals Breastfeeding Duration in a Low-Income Sample Is Associated With Child Diet Quality at Age Three

2020 ◽  
pp. 089033442090302 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nancy S. Weinfield ◽  
Christine Borger ◽  
Alice Ann Gola
Keyword(s):  
At Risk ◽  
Diet Quality ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Child Outcomes ◽  
Feeding Practices ◽  
Breastfeeding Duration ◽  
National Study ◽  
Food Groups ◽  
Populations At Risk ◽  
Child Age

Background: Little research has focused on breastfeeding and diet quality, particularly in low-income populations at risk for shorter breastfeeding duration and poorer diet quality. Research Aim: The aim of this study was to examine the association between breastfeeding duration and later diet quality in a low-income population. Methods: For this longitudinal prospective cohort study we conducted a secondary analysis of data from the Infant and Toddler Feeding Practices Study-2, a national study of infant feeding practices and child outcomes. Study infants were enrolled in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children by 2.5 months of age and followed until 36 months ( N = 1,223). We examined the association between breastfeeding duration until 13 months of age, and child diet quality derived from a 24-hour dietary recall with a usual intake adjustment at child age 36 months. Multiple regression analyses were used to examine the association of breastfeeding duration with overall diet quality, as measured by the Heathy Eating Index 2015, and with consumption of specific food groups. Results: Longer breastfeeding duration during infancy was associated with better diet quality at child age 36 months after controlling for key socio-demographic variables. In follow-up analyses, the origin of the association was narrowed to greater consumption of mature/dried beans and peas. Conclusions: Longer breastfeeding duration in infancy was associated with better diet quality at 36 months, in a population at risk for shorter breastfeeding duration and poorer diet quality. Breastfeeding was particularly associated with children’s consumption of mature/dried beans and peas. Clinical Trial Registration: This study is registered at clinicaltrials.gov as Feeding My Baby—A National WIC Study, NCT02031978

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