Incorporating Dissemination of Findings in Research: Synopsis from an International Research on Food Safety

Presented as part of the Open for Climate Justice: Lightning Talks event

Examining Factors Associated With the Use of Community Food Resources: An Application of the Andersen Model to Inform Future Interventions

The role of the food environment in shaping nutrition and health has gained substantial attention from policymakers, public health researchers, and advocacy groups. To promote equities in food access and nutrition outcomes, understanding factors linked with the utilization of local community food resources is crucial. Using Andersen’s service utilization model, we explained how adults use their neighborhood food resources. In a cross-sectional study design, an online survey was conducted in REDCap Version 13.4.0 via the Amazon Mechanical Turk (MTurk) involving 1830 adults with a mean age of 37.9 ± 12.1 years. Participants answered questions on predisposing, enabling, and need factors that influence their use of different community food resources. The predisposing factors that were statistically significant included age, family size, marital status, race, and ethnicity. The enabling factors included travel time, travel mode, income, and shopping decision motivators (such as being able to use Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) vouchers, delivery services, great sales, and coupons). Food security and community food resources need for lower food price were the significant need factors. However, these factors vary by the types of food resources. In conclusion, enhancing the utilization of community-based food access initiatives and programs among underserved families requires consideration of family composition, racial and ethnic diversity, and transportation access

The Provision of Assistance Does Not Substantially Impact the Accuracy of 24-Hour Dietary Recalls Completed Using the Automated Self-Administered 24-H Dietary Assessment Tool Among Women With Low Incomes

Background: Evidence is lacking informing the use of the Automated Self-Administered 24-h Dietary Assessment Tool (ASA24) with populations characterized by low income. Objective: This study was conducted among women with low incomes to evaluate the accuracy of ASA24 recalls completed independently and with assistance. Methods: Three hundred and two women, aged ≥18 y and with incomes below the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program thresholds, served themselves from a buffet; amounts taken as well as plate waste were unobtrusively weighed to enable calculation of true intake for 3 meals. The following day, women completed ASA24-2016 independently (n = 148) or with assistance from a trained paraprofessional in a small group (n = 154). Regression modeling examined differences by condition in agreement between true and reported foods; energy, nutrient, and food group intakes; and portion sizes. Results: Participants who completed ASA24 independently and those who received assistance reported matches for 71.9% and 73.5% (P = 0.56) of items truly consumed, respectively. Exclusions (consumed but not reported) were highest for lunch (at which participants consumed approximately 2 times the number of distinct foods and beverages compared with breakfast and dinner). Commonly excluded foods were additions to main dishes (e.g., tomatoes in salad). On average, excluded foods contributed 43.6 g (46.2 kcal) and 40.1 g (43.2 kcal) among those in the independent and assisted conditions, respectively. Gaps between true and reported intake were different between conditions for folate and iron. Within conditions, significant gaps were observed for protein, vitamin D, and meat (both conditions); vitamin A, iron, and magnesium (independent); and folate, calcium, and vegetables (assisted). For foods and beverages for which matches were reported, no difference in the gap between true and reported portion sizes was observed by condition (P = 0.22). Conclusions: ASA24 performed relatively well among women with low incomes; however, accuracy was somewhat lower than previously observed among adults with a range of incomes. The provision of assistance did not significantly impact accuracy

Association between Food Shopping Motivators and the Home Food Environment

Objective: To examine whether the home food environment (HFE) is related to food shopping motivating factors. Method: Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program participants were interviewed about their HFE, factors motivating them while shopping, and food security status, using Perceived Nutrition Environment Measure Survey and 6-item US Household Food Security Survey questionnaires. Composite home food environment scores were derived by summing availability and accessibility to healthy food and deducting unhealthy access and availability. Analysis included multiple linear regression models. Results: Being motivated by nutrition and food security were positively associated with HFE (ß= 4.70, p= 0.03 and ß= 1.44, p= 0.06 respectively). Conclusion and Implications: Healthier HFE was seen among shoppers that were food secure and those who consider nutrition important. Efforts to improve food security and increase perceived importance of nutrition while shopping may be a useful tool to improve HFE. Keywords: Food shopping, Motivators, Food security, and Food environment

Association between Food Shopping Motivators and the Home Food Environment

Objective: To examine whether the home food environment (HFE) is related to food shopping motivating factors. Method: Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program participants were interviewed about their HFE, factors motivating them while shopping, and food security status, using Perceived Nutrition Environment Measure Survey and 6-item US Household Food Security Survey questionnaires. Composite home food environment scores were derived by summing availability and accessibility to healthy food and deducting unhealthy access and availability. Analysis included multiple linear regression models. Results: Being motivated by nutrition and food security were positively associated with HFE (ß= 4.70, p= 0.03 and ß= 1.44, p= 0.06 respectively). Conclusion and Implications: Healthier HFE was seen among shoppers that were food secure and those who consider nutrition important. Efforts to improve food security and increase perceived importance of nutrition while shopping may be a useful tool to improve HFE. Keywords: Food shopping, Motivators, Food security, and Food environment

Accessing Healthy Food: Behavioral and Environmental Determinants Among Low-Income Populations

On average, low-income individuals have poorer diet quality compared to their high-income counterparts. However, improved food access may offer opportunities to improve diet among this population. This study examines how the low-income population navigates between barriers, resources, and opportunities to acquire healthy foods in different settings. Chapter 3 examined how the use of a farmers’ market incentive program among the low-income population impacts F&V consumption. We observed no effect on F&V consumption due to program participation but users of the program have a significantly higher F&V consumption than non-users. Chapter 4 identified transportation difficulties as a barrier to the uptake of farmer’s market incentive program and that larger families may be less likely to take advantage of opportunities provided by farmer’s market incentive programs. Chapter 5 examined the association between factors that influence food choices (taste, price, convenience, concern for nutrition, and concern for weight) and food access and availability in the home. We found that certain behaviors (concern for nutrition) exhibited within the food purchase environment may impact food access and availability in the home. We conclude that more efforts and interventions that target improving consumer’s perceived importance for nutrition and transportation access to food resources are needed; especially among low-income population with low F&V consumption. In addition, information and financial access to food resource opportunities should be expanded, specifically among those with low F&V consumption and expanding the food incentives for larger families should be considered

Developing a food system indicators database to facilitate local food systems assessments

Many food policy councils, food and agriculture-oriented groups, coalitions, organizations, funders, nonprofits, decision-makers, government depart­ments, and other entities work to address local food system issues and inequities that negatively affect human, animal, and planetary wellbeing. In this article, we summarize and reflect on the pro­cess of creating an open-access food system indica­tors database. Our goal has been to create a library of indicators from which groups can draw when assessing their local food system, identifying improvement opportunities, and evaluating their efforts. The indicators were extracted from seven sources selected to cover a wide range of food sys­tem elements and pertinent topics, including nutri­tion, agricultural production, racial equity, health outcomes, environmental impacts, and economics. Our work can contribute to needed research on monitoring and evaluating food system attributes and changes, developing a common set of indica­tors that groups can use to track food systems across places and over time and to assess racial equity, justice, and fairness in the food system

Pilot Test of an Online ASA24 Training With EFNEP Educators

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the acceptability and usability of an online training to prepare Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP) educators to collect 24-hr dietary recalls using the Automated Self-Administered 24-Hour Dietary Assessment Tool (ASA24). Fifty-eight educators in 17 states were recruited to take the training; 29 completed the online training, assisted two individuals in completing a 24-hr recall using ASA24, and completed a survey about their experiences. The sample included 26 respondents. The majority (n = 16; 61.5%) of the sample was EFNEP educators with college education. The majority of the respondents indicated that they found the readings and videos acceptable for learning (n = 21; 80.7%). Half of the participants (n = 13) felt prepared to collect data using ASA24. The majority (n = 22; 84.6%) had positive feedback about the training content. The training may be acceptable for preparing EFNEP educators with at least some college education to collect 24-hr recalls using ASA24. Because of potential bias due to self-selection and nonresponse, the training has been revised and is now intended to be used to train trainers of EFNEP paraprofessionals