The Cost of Gathering Among the Baka Forager-Horticulturalists From Southeastern Cameroon

What present-day foragers do for their living and what they eat have long been privileged areas for exploring human behavior, global health, and human evolution. While many studies have focused on hunting and meat acquisition, less attention has been given to gathering and plant foods. Despite evidence of variation in both nutritional quality and energetic costs of gathering different plants, the overall effort spent on gathering in relation to other subsistence tasks is still under explored. In the current context of economic, climate, and social changes, many forager societies also rely on other subsistence strategies, including agriculture and wage labor. In this study, we aim to explore the place of gathering in the livelihood of a mixed economy society, the Baka forager-horticulturalists of southeastern Cameroon, by comparing the involvement and the costs of activities related to food acquisition. From a pool of 153 adult participants (97 women and 56 men), we collected 246 daily records using a GPS (Global Positioning System) tracker combined with heart rate monitor and time allocation recalls. We compared the duration, distance traveled, and the intensity of work, measured by calculating the metabolic equivalent of task (MET), of subsistence activities related to food acquisition. Results from this work show that gathering activities, performed by both women and men, are energetically costly, with higher MET values than hunting and fishing activities. Furthermore, the MET values vary depending on the targeted plant foods. We discuss these insights in the overall framework of subsistence patterns, merging them with the socio-cultural and environmental factors that might explain Baka livelihood and subsistence strategy.

Impact of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Benefit Reduction or Loss on Food-at-Home Acquisitions and Community Food Program Use

Since Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits are vital for food-at-home (FAH) acquisitions among participating families, changes in participation or benefit amounts may impact FAH purchase and use of community-based food programs (CFP). The association of the loss of or a reduction in SNAP benefits with FAH acquisitions and CFP use was assessed using 2012–2013 National Household Food Acquisition and Purchase Survey data. Households with incomes equal to or below 130% of the Federal Poverty Level were categorized as (1) current SNAP households, (2) households with benefit loss in the preceding year, or (3) households with benefit loss for more than a year. Current SNAP households were classified as receiving (1) lesser-than-usual benefits or (2) usual benefits. Regression analyses examined associations of the loss of or a reduction in benefits with the Healthy Eating Index-2015 (HEI-2015) scores of FAH purchases and CFP use. Benefit loss in the preceding year was related to a lower total HEI-2015 score for FAH acquisitions, whereas benefit reduction was associated with lower green/bean and added sugar scores and increased CFP use. This study suggests that the loss of or a reduction in SNAP benefits may adversely impact the quality of FAH purchases. The findings also suggest that efforts enhancing the nutrition environment of community food sources could support healthy food acquisition by families experiencing benefit reduction.

Validation of a Home Food Environment Instrument Assessing Household Food Patterning and Quality

The home food environment (HFE) is associated with dietary intake; yet measuring HFE quality often requires burdensome collection of detailed inventories. This project evaluated the capacity of the Home Inventory to Describe Eating and Activity, version 2 (Home-IDEA2) to capture HFE quality by measuring the presence or absence of household foods. Validity was tested using a modified application of the Healthy Eating Index-2010 (HEI). Comparative data were drawn from the National Food Acquisition and Purchase Survey (FoodAPS) Food-at-Home Public Use File. HEI scores were calculated for 4202 households in FoodAPS using Home-IDEA2 inventories and full reported inventories. Paired t-tests compared: (1) estimated vs. total edible grams (EEG; TEG); (2) limited vs. all reported foods; and (3) EEG + limited foods vs. TEG + all reported foods. Sensitivity and range of scores were compared. Mean HEI scores for Home-IDEA2 were higher (p < 0.003) than FoodAPS: (1) 51.6 ± 16.1 vs. 49.6 ± 18.1 (food amounts); (2) 53.5 ± 15.8 vs. 49.8 ± 15.4 (food items); (3) 55.5 ± 15.7 vs. 49.8 ± 15.4 (full instrument); differences were small. Scores demonstrated comparable sensitivity and range. The study found that the Home-IDEA2 can capture HFE quality adequately with low data collection burden.

Prevalence and nutritional quality of free food and beverage acquisitions at school and work by SNAP status

Background The dual burden of poor diet quality and food insecurity makes free food—food acquired at no cost—a very important part of the nutrition safety net for low-income families. The goal of this study was to determine the national prevalence and nutritional quality of free food acquired separately in two settings: 1) by children at school; and 2) by employees at work; both stratified by participation in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Methods Using National Household Food Acquisition and Purchase Survey data (2012; n = 4,826 U.S. households containing 5,382 employed adults and 3,338 school-aged children), we used survey-weighted proportions to describe free food acquisition and linear regression to compare the 2010 Healthy Eating Index (HEI-2010) for free/non-free food acquisition events (i.e., meals) by SNAP status. Analyses were conducted in 2019–2020. Results SNAP households had more free acquisition events (29.6%) compared to non-SNAP households (<185% federal poverty level (FPL) = 22.3%; ≥185%FPL = 21.0%, p’s<0.001). For SNAP-participant children, free acquisition events at school had a higher mean HEI-2010 compared to non-free acquisition events at school (50.3 vs. 43.8, p = 0.033) and free acquisition events by SNAP-non-participant children ≥185%FPL at school (50.3 vs. 38.0, p = 0.001). Free and non-free acquisition events at work had relatively low HEI-2010s, with no differences by SNAP status. Conclusions Over one fifth of all food acquisition events were free, but free food acquisitions at school and work were relatively unhealthy. For children participating in SNAP, free food acquired at school had higher nutritional quality. Improving the dietary quality of free foods could improve the health of families, especially those participating in SNAP.

Acquisition, mobility, and food insecurity: Integrated food systems opportunities across urbanicity levels highlighted by COVID-19

Objective: Investigate acquisition and mobility experiences of food-insecure individuals across urbanicity levels (i.e., urban, suburban, rural) in the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic. Design: Cross-sectional study using a nationally representative online panel to measure where food-insecure individuals acquired food, food acquisition barriers, and mobility to food sources, which were evaluated across urbanicity levels using chi-squared tests and 95% CIs. Setting: United States Participants: 2,011 adults (18 years or older) Results: Food insecurity impacted 62.3% of adults in urban areas, 40.5% in rural areas, and 36.7% in suburban areas (p<0.001). Food acquisition barriers that were significantly more prevalent among food-insecure adults in urban areas were a change in employment status (34.2%; 95% CI = 27.2%, 41.1%; p<0.0001) and limited availability of food in retailers (38.8%; 95% CI = 31.7%, 45.9%; p<0.001). In rural areas, food-insecure adults primarily acquired food for the household from supercenters (61.5%; 95% CI = 50.4%, 72.5%; p<0.05), while locally sourced foods were less common among food-insecure adults in rural areas (6.9%; 95% CI = 0.01%, 13.0%) compared to urban areas (19.8%; 95% CI = 14.3%, 25.4%; p<0.01). Transportation as a barrier did not vary significantly by urbanicity, but food-insecure adults across urbanicity levels reported utilizing a range of transportations modes to acquire food. Conclusions: A planning approach that links urban and rural areas could address food insecurity by enhancing the integration of food production, transportation, and food distribution, building toward a more resilient and equitable food system for all Americans.

Análise da execução do Programa de Aquisição de Alimentos Municipal em Maracanaú-CE / Execution analysis of Municipal Food Acquisition Program in Maracanaú-CE

O Programa de Aquisição de Alimentos (PAA) é um programa do governo federal que adquire alimentos produzidos por agricultores familiares, os quais são doados a entidades da rede socioassistencial. Embora em Maracanaú-CE, o PAA seja executado com recursos federais, mas para garantir a continuidade da aquisição de produtos dos agricultores familiares residentes no município, após a finalização dos recursos assegurados para o PAA Federal, a Prefeitura aprovou uma Lei instituindo o PAA Municipal. A partir dessa perspectiva, o presente artigo fez uma análise da implementação do Programa de Aquisição de Alimentos Municipal e seus efeitos no fomento à agricultura familiar. Observou-se uma elevada diversidade de produtos agropecuários fornecidos pelos produtores durante a execução do PAA Municipal. Portanto, o PAA Municipal apresentou considerável importância ao integrar as políticas de segurança alimentar e nutricional e agrícola. Assim, a continuidade do Programa permitirá a aquisição de produtos da agricultura familiar e acesso regular à alimentos saudáveis para pessoas em estado de vulnerabilidade alimentar e social, através das redes socioassistenciais.

Perceived Impact of COVID-19 on the Dietary Behaviors and Food Security of People in Rural Bangladesh

Objectives This study aims to examine how poor women perceived the impact of COVID-19 in their lives regarding daily routines, food acquisition and consumption, hygiene practices and access to health services in rural Bangladesh. Methods Questions about the perceived impact of COVID-19 were included as part of an evaluation survey of a community-based nutrition program, and assessed cross-sectionally in November-December 2020 among a total of 2960 poor or ultra-poor women. Results 84–87% of respondents perceived COVID-19 has affected their daily routine in the activities related to diet, work/school, income, social activities and to lesser extent, 78.8% in entertainment activities and 67.9% in health activity. For the current food acquisition and consumption compared to pre-COVID-19 situation, 77.3% reported less grocery shopping, 74.2% decreased activities of eating with someone else, 39.6% reduced consumption of fresh foods, and 23.4% decreased consumption of stable foods. Also, 92.3% of respondents experienced restriction to market access for food acquisition. In light of this, 74.4% of respondents found food assistance to be helpful coping with a negative impact of COVID-19, the highest among other assistances (below 10%). Only 25.7% of respondents reported wearing facial masks whenever out and 67.9% did not perceive any change of their health and hygiene practices after COVID-19. 58.7% of respondents responded that public health messages were helpful to cope with the current pandemic. Conclusions While COVID-19 has hit every area of routine and lives, food-related activities and assistance were perceived to be affected the hardest compared to other daily activities in rural Bangladesh. People fear about infections through gathering, not wearing masks, and going out, however, disease prevention practices does not follow as much as they fear. This study suggest that the food security intervention deserves urgent attention as well as educational information dissemination on the prevention and protection measures of COVID-19. Funding Sources World Vision Bangladesh, World Vision Korea, KOICA