scholarly journals Policy Implications of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Food Insecurity in Rural America: Evidence from Appalachia

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (23) ◽  
pp. 12792
Author(s):  
Kathryn M. Cardarelli ◽  
Emily DeWitt ◽  
Rachel Gillespie ◽  
Rachel H. Graham ◽  
Heather Norman-Burgdolf ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Food Insecurity ◽  
Food Access ◽  
Policy Implications ◽  
Grocery Stores ◽  
Theory Approach ◽  
Assistance Program ◽  
Assistance Programs ◽  
Supply Disruptions ◽  
Emergency Assistance ◽  
The Impact

Rural communities are disproportionally affected by food insecurity, making them vulnerable to the consequences of supply disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. While access to food was initially diminished due to food supply disruptions, little is known about the mechanisms through which federal emergency assistance programs impacted food access in rural populations. Through a series of five focus groups in spring 2021, we examined the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on food access in a rural Appalachian community in Kentucky. Data were analyzed using a Grounded Theory Approach. Findings revealed the following four primary themes: food scarcity in grocery stores; expanded federal food assistance; expanded community food resources; and expanded home gardening. Participants provided details regarding the way increased federal assistance, especially expanded benefits within the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, allowed them to purchase greater quantities of nutritious food. This study unveils the specific impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on one rural population, including the influence of some social determinants of health on food insecurity. Policymakers and stakeholders should recognize the layered protection of multiple federal emergency assistance programs against food insecurity and the potential for long-term population health promotion in rural areas.

scholarly journals Results of a Nutrition Incentive Program Within a Bi-State Region: A Mixed-Method Evaluation

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_2) ◽  
pp. 191-191
Author(s):  
Cheryl Gibson ◽  
Heather Valentine ◽  
Rose-Bertine Mercier ◽  
Susan Harvey ◽  
Lauren Landfried ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Food Insecurity ◽  
Grocery Store ◽  
Farmers Markets ◽  
Grocery Stores ◽  
Implementation Barriers ◽  
Assistance Program ◽  
Incentive Program ◽  
Funding Sources ◽  
Nutrition Assistance ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Objectives To conduct a process and impact evaluation of Double Up Food Bucks (DUFB) Heartland, a nutrition incentive program, to facilitate program delivery and sustainability at farmers markets and grocery stores, and to examine the impact on Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) customers. Methods Across 4 years, we employed a mixed methods approach, including surveys with customers (n = 678) and vendors (n = 223), and interviews with market managers (n = 52) and grocery store employees (n = 38). Study samples were obtained using a geographically-stratified, probability-proportional-to-size sampling plan. Customer surveys included demographic, social, dietary and health-related variables. Survey respondents included SNAP customers who had used DUFB (n = 382) and those who had not (n = 296). Results DUFB customers were primarily female (81%) and white (48%), with a mean age of 46 ± 15 years. Non-DUFB users had similar characteristics. Of DUFB users, 56% indicated food insecurity issues and 27% rated their general health as fair to poor. Most learned of DUFB on-site. DUFB customers reported being able to afford more produce (98%), consuming a greater variety of produce (59%), and reducing their intake of unhealthy foods (45%). Importantly, 93% of DUFB users indicated the presence of the program influenced their decision to shop at the site. Among non-DUFB users, most were unaware of the program but 98% indicated they were likely to participate next time they shopped. Grocery store cashiers reported DUFB implementation was easy and it did not add time to complete a sales transaction. Store directors felt DUFB brought about a greater focus on locally grown produce and all expressed a desire to continue the program. Market managers stated participation in DUFB increased produce sales, and the number and diversity of customers. Market vendors viewed DUFB as beneficial, stating it resulted in a new customer base and increased produce sales. Conclusions Results were instrumental in identifying successes and challenges faced by locations that were implementing the DUFB program. DUFB was well accepted with few implementation barriers noted. However, many SNAP users were not aware of the nutrition incentive program. Findings will be used to refine materials and develop strategies to extend program reach. Funding Sources USDA Food Insecurity Nutrition Incentive Program.

scholarly journals Gardening for change: Community giving gardens and senior food insecurity

2021 ◽  
pp. 85-101
Author(s):  
Kathleen Tims ◽  
Mark Haggerty ◽  
John Jemison ◽  
Melissa Ladenheim ◽  
Sarah Mullis ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Food Insecurity ◽  
Food Access ◽  
Local Food ◽  
The United States ◽  
Food Assistance ◽  
Food Assistance Programs ◽  
Assistance Programs ◽  
Fresh Food ◽  
Food Security Status ◽  
The Impact

An estimated 5.3 million seniors in the United States are currently food insecure (Ziliak & Gunderson, 2020). Over the next few decades, these senior populations are projected to increase dramatically, which will only exacerbate this issue (Mather & Kilduff, 2020). Community giving gardens are an emerging strategy to increase food access and offer a solution to fight food insecurity locally (Chicago Community Gardeners Associa­tion, 2014; Furness & Gallaher 2018; Sutphen, 2018). This research seeks to answer questions related to rural, senior food insecurity through a case study of a long-term community giving garden project in Orono, Maine. Based on survey data and personal interviews, this study analyzes senior participation in the Orono Community Garden (OCG) program, the impact on participants’ food security status, and senior participants’ perceptions of the experience. The results indicate that the OCG program functioned to increase food access by providing fresh food deliveries directly to senior households in need, alongside a constellation of local food assistance programs located in Orono. Participants also viewed the OCG program as a source of destigmatized and socially acceptable food access, in contrast to other food assistance programs. Community giving gardens, like the OCG program, can be an effective tool to combat senior food insecurity by providing nutritionally adequate, destigmatized food access while building local food economies.

scholarly journals Food Insecurity and Dietary Quality in Older Adults: Do Nutrition Assistance Programs Play a Protective Role?

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_2) ◽  
pp. 1379-1379
Author(s):  
Nicholas Bishop ◽  
Sarah Ullevig ◽  
Krystle Zuniga ◽  
Kaipeng Wang
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Food Insecurity ◽  
Healthy Eating Index ◽  
Dietary Quality ◽  
Linear Modeling ◽  
Assistance Programs ◽  
Supplemental Food ◽  
Nutrition Assistance ◽  
Nutrition Assistance Programs ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Objectives The emergence of food insecurity as a primary nutrition-related health issue among older adults suggests a need to examine how nutritional assistance programs are related to food insecurity and dietary quality in aging populations. This project examines food insecurity and dietary quality in US adults age 65 and older and the impact of nutrition assistance programs. Methods The sample was drawn from the 2012 Health and Retirement Study and 2013 Health Care and Nutrition Study and included 3779 respondents representing a population of 37,217,566 adults aged 65 and older. Food insecurity was a binary measure based on the USDA six-item US Adult Food Security Survey Module. Two forms of nutritional assistance included receipt of supplemental food from sources such as food banks and Meals-on-Wheels (1 = yes, 0 = no) and reported receipt of SNAP benefits (1 = yes, 0 = no). Dietary quality was measured using the Alternative Healthy Eating Index-2010 based on a food frequency questionnaire. General linear modeling adjusting for covariates and complex sampling design was used to test if nutritional assistance moderated the association between food insecurity and AHEI-2010. Results Around 10% of the sample was food insecure, 14% reported receipt of supplemental food, and 6.4% were SNAP benefit recipients. In covariate-adjusted models, food insecurity and receipt of SNAP benefits were not associated with AHEI-2010, but receipt of supplemental food was (b = −1.39, SE = 0.67, P = 0.038). Receipt of supplemental food moderated the association between AHEI-2010 and food insecurity (P = 0.001). Simple effect estimates suggested that among those not receiving supplemental food, the food insecure had lower AHEI-2010 scores than the food secure (b = −2.15, SE = 0.88, P = 0.014). Among those receiving supplemental food, the food insecure had greater AHEI-2010 scores than the food secure (b = 2.62, SE = 1.25, P = 0.035) and similar AHEI-2010 scores as the food secure not receiving supplemental food. Conclusions Preliminary analysis suggests that receipt of supplemental food appears to be associated with better dietary quality among food-insecure older adults and confirms the importance of food assistance programs in combating the negative effect of food insecurity on dietary quality. Funding Sources This work is supported by the Texas State University Research Enhancement Program.

The Impact of the Saccharin Warning Label on Sales of Diet Soft Drinks in Supermarkets

1983 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 46-56 ◽  
Author(s):  
Raymond E. Schucker ◽  
Raymond C. Stokes ◽  
Michael L. Stewart ◽  
Douglas P. Henderson
Keyword(s):  
The Elderly ◽  
Early Response ◽  
Soft Drinks ◽  
Policy Implications ◽  
Grocery Stores ◽  
Delayed Response ◽  
Warning Label ◽  
High Concentrations ◽  
Household Heads ◽  
The Impact

Responding to public protest against an FDA-proposed ban on saccharin, Congress in 1977 passed legislation placing a temporary moratorium on the ban and framing the language of a warning label to be required on saccharin-containing products. Appearance of the warning label on diet soft drinks was associated with a short-term reduction in the rate of growth of sales in grocery stores. There was early response to the warning in neighborhoods with a high proportion of college-educated household heads, delayed response in neighborhoods with high concentrations of children, and no change in stores serving neighborhoods with high concentrations of the elderly and households heads with less than high school education. Public policy implications are discussed.

scholarly journals Socio-Ecological Barriers to Dry Grain Pulse Consumption among Low-Income Women: A Mixed Methods Approach

Nutrients ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (8) ◽  
pp. 1108 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shelly Palmer ◽  
Donna Winham ◽  
Ann Oberhauser ◽  
Ruth Litchfield
Keyword(s):  
Low Income ◽  
Grocery Stores ◽  
Theory Approach ◽  
Low Socioeconomic ◽  
Assistance Programs ◽  
Ecological Barriers ◽  
Detailed Instruction ◽  
Nutrition Assistance ◽  
Nutrition Assistance Programs ◽  
Federal Assistance

The purpose of this study was to determine the socio-ecological influences on dry grain pulse consumption (beans, peas, lentils, chickpeas) among low-socioeconomic women in Iowa. Seven focus groups were conducted, with 36 women who qualified for income-based federal assistance. Data were collected from October 2017 to January 2018. Participants completed a survey that gathered individual demographics, assessed perceptions of dry grain pulses, and level of food security. Fifty-eight percent of the women were non-Hispanic white, and 39% were African American, all with an average age of 34.7 years. Thirty-three percent of the women consumed pulses less than once per week. Over 80% agreed that beans were healthful and satiating. Some health benefits of beans were unknown by more than 33% of the population, e.g., lower cancer risk, lower LDL, maintain blood glucose. Only 30% of the women were food secure. Focus group audio recordings were transcribed and analyzed by two researchers, using the grounded theory approach. At the policy level, participants knew pulses were included in USA federal nutrition assistance programs like the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC). Pulses were widely available in grocery stores in communities. Interpersonally, women felt that male partners preferred meats, and children needed animal-source proteins. Individually, women perceived uncooked dry pulses were challenging to prepare. Conclusively, more detailed instruction on pulse preparation, different pulse varieties, and offering canned pulses through WIC may increase consumption.

scholarly journals Perspective: The Convergence of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) and Food Insecurity in the United States

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jason M Nagata ◽  
Hilary K Seligman ◽  
Sheri D Weiser
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Food Insecurity ◽  
The United States ◽  
Micronutrient Deficiencies ◽  
Supplemental Nutrition ◽  
Assistance Program ◽  
Assistance Programs ◽  
United States Food ◽  
Households With Children ◽  
Nutrition Assistance

ABSTRACT During the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, food insecurity has doubled overall and tripled among households with children in the United States. Food insecurity and COVID-19 may exacerbate one another through bidirectional links, leading to a syndemic, or sequential disease clusters, which exacerbate one another. Experiencing food insecurity may be associated with macronutrient and micronutrient deficiencies, which can weaken host defenses, thus increasing susceptibility to COVID-19. Food insecurity is associated with chronic medical conditions, which may afford a higher risk of severe COVID-19 illness. People experiencing food insecurity may have increased exposure to COVID-19 while procuring food. People with COVID-19 may be unable to work, generate income, and procure food while quarantined, which may exacerbate food insecurity. Clinicians should screen for food insecurity during the COVID-19 pandemic and provide referrals to food-assistance programs when appropriate. Policymakers should expand benefits for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) to address increases in the depth and breadth of food insecurity during the COVID-19 pandemic.

scholarly journals Perceptions of the Food Environment and Access among Predominantly Black Low-Income Residents of Rural Louisiana Communities

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (15) ◽  
pp. 5340
Author(s):  
Denise Holston ◽  
Jessica Stroope ◽  
Matthew Greene ◽  
Bailey Houghtaling
Keyword(s):  
Food Security ◽  
Focus Group ◽  
Food Insecurity ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Food Environment ◽  
Food Access ◽  
The United States ◽  
Grocery Store ◽  
Assistance Program ◽  
Nutrition Assistance

Food insecurity in rural settings is complex and not fully understood, especially from the perspective of low-income and Black residents. The goal of this study was to use qualitative methods to better understand experiences with food access and perceptions of the food environment among low-income, predominately Black rural Louisiana residents in the United States. Data were collected from focus group discussions (FGD) and focus group intake forms. Study participants were all rural residents eligible to receive at least one nutrition assistance program. FGD questions focused on perceptions of the food environment, with an emphasis on food access. Participants (n = 44) were predominately Black and female. Over half (n = 25) reported running out of food before the end of the month. Major themes included: store choice, outshopping, methods of acquiring foods other than the grocery store, and food insecurity. Concerns around price, quality, and transportation emerged as factors negatively impacting food security. Understanding residents’ perceptions and experiences is necessary to inform contextually appropriate and feasible policy and practice interventions that address the physical environment and social conditions that shape the broader physical food environment in order to achieve equitable food access and food security.

Food banks, welfare, and food insecurity in Canada

2014 ◽  
Vol 116 (9) ◽  
pp. 1405-1417 ◽  
Author(s):  
Valerie Tarasuk ◽  
Naomi Dachner ◽  
Rachel Loopstra
Keyword(s):  
Food Insecurity ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Social Assistance ◽  
Food Assistance ◽  
Food Banks ◽  
Food Bank ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Assistance Programs ◽  
Recent Emergence ◽  
The Impact

Purpose – Similar to the recent emergence of food banks in other affluent nations, the genesis and ultimate entrenchment of food banks in Canada has been tightly intertwined with the dismantling of the welfare state. Through an examination of Canadian data, the authors elucidate the implications of entrenching voluntary, extra-governmental, charitable food assistance programs as an adjunct to publicly funded social assistance programs. The paper aims to discuss these issues. Design/methodology/approach – Publicly available food bank reports, population health survey data, and the results of a study of low-income families in Toronto are reviewed to examine the food security status of social assistance recipients and their use of food banks. Findings – In 2012, 70 percent of households in Canada who were reliant on social assistance were food insecure. Social assistance recipients comprise at least half of food bank clientele and have done so for as long as this information has been tracked, but the assistance provided by food banks appears insufficient to alter households’ food insecurity. Although food banks currently distribute over 200 million pounds of food annually, the scale of their operations pales in comparison to the food needs of those who seek their help. Originality/value – In the 30 years since food banks began in Canada, there has been considerable research into this response, as well as extensive population monitoring of food insecurity. Canada provides an informative case study of an affluent country's long-term dependency on charitable food assistance and the impact this has on the food insecurity of those reliant on social assistance programs.

scholarly journals Food Insecurity in a Low-Income, Predominantly African American Cohort Following the COVID-19 Pandemic

2021 ◽  
Vol 111 (3) ◽  
pp. 494-497
Author(s):  
Tamara Dubowitz ◽  
Madhumita Ghosh Dastidar ◽  
Wendy M. Troxel ◽  
Robin Beckman ◽  
Alvin Nugroho ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
African American ◽  
Food Insecurity ◽  
Low Income ◽  
The United States ◽  
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program ◽  
Food Bank ◽  
Assistance Program ◽  
Nutrition Assistance ◽  
National Trends ◽  
The Impact

Objectives. To examine the impact of COVID-19 shutdowns on food insecurity among a predominantly African American cohort residing in low-income racially isolated neighborhoods. Methods. Residents of 2 low-income African American food desert neighborhoods in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, were surveyed from March 23 to May 22, 2020, drawing on a longitudinal cohort (n = 605) previously followed from 2011 to 2018. We examined longitudinal trends in food insecurity from 2011 to 2020 and compared them with national trends. We also assessed use of food assistance in our sample in 2018 versus 2020. Results. From 2018 to 2020, food insecurity increased from 20.7% to 36.9% (t = 7.63; P < .001) after steady declines since 2011. As a result of COVID-19, the United States has experienced a 60% increase in food insecurity, whereas this sample showed a nearly 80% increase, widening a preexisting disparity. Participation in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (52.2%) and food bank use (35.9%) did not change significantly during the early weeks of the pandemic. Conclusions. Longitudinal data highlight profound inequities that have been exacerbated by COVID-19. Existing policies appear inadequate to address the widening gap.

Food Assistance Programs and Food Security

2014 ◽  
Author(s):  
Craig Gundersen
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Food Security ◽  
Food Insecurity ◽  
The United States ◽  
Food Assistance ◽  
Negative Consequences ◽  
Food Assistance Programs ◽  
Assistance Program ◽  
Assistance Programs ◽  
Nutrition Assistance

Food insecurity is a leading public-health challenge in the United States today. This is primarily due to the magnitude of the problem—about 50 million persons are food insecure—and the serious negative health and other outcomes associated with being food insecure. This chapter first defines the measure used to delineate whether a household is food insecure. The measure, the Core Food Security Module (CFSM), is based on 18 questions about a household’s food situation. From the responses, a household is defined as food secure, low food secure, or very low food secure, with the latter two categories defined as “food insecure.” I next discuss the extent of food insecurity in the United States across various dimensions, the key determinants of food insecurity, and the multiple negative consequences associated with food insecurity. Two of the key policy tools used to address food insecurity are the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (formerly known as the Food Stamp Program) and the National School Lunch Program. A brief overview and definition of the eligibility criteria for each program is provided along with a discussion of their respective impacts on food insecurity. This chapter concludes with four major current challenges pertaining to food insecurity and food assistance programs.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document