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Jia J, Gombi-Vaca MF, Bliss Barsness C, Peterson H, Pratt R, Wolfson J, Caspi CE. Effect of a Multicomponent Food Pantry Intervention in Client Subgroups. Nutrients 2024; 16:805. [PMID: 38542716 PMCID: PMC10974327 DOI: 10.3390/nu16060805] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2024] [Revised: 03/06/2024] [Accepted: 03/08/2024] [Indexed: 04/01/2024] Open
Abstract
Nutrition promotion programs may have varying effects and influence health disparities. SuperShelf promotes healthy choices in food pantries through inventory changes and nudge implementation (e.g., choice architecture). This secondary analysis of the SuperShelf cluster-randomized trial assessed whether the effect of SuperShelf on client diet quality differed by equity characteristics. English-, Spanish-, or Somali-speaking adult clients from 11 food pantries in Minnesota were included (N = 193). We measured change in diet quality by the Healthy Eating Index 2015 (HEI-2015; maximum score 100) using up to two 24 h dietary recalls from pre-intervention and post-intervention periods. We used linear mixed-effects models to determine whether the effect of SuperShelf on diet quality varied by self-reported gender, race/ethnicity, education, and employment status. In separate adjusted models, the interactions of SuperShelf and gender, education, or employment status were not significant. The interaction of SuperShelf and race/ethnicity was significant (p-interaction = 0.008), but pairwise comparisons in diet quality were non-significant in all racial/ethnic subgroups. SuperShelf did not have differential effects on diet quality by gender, race/ethnicity, education, or employment status, suggesting it does not worsen dietary disparities among food pantry clients, though more subgroup analyses are needed to explore potential racial/ethnic disparities in this context.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jenny Jia
- Division of General Internal Medicine, Department of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
| | - Maria F. Gombi-Vaca
- Rudd Center for Food Policy and Health, University of Connecticut, Hartford, CT 06103, USA; (M.F.G.-V.); (C.E.C.)
| | - Christina Bliss Barsness
- Department of Family Medicine and Community Health, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA (R.P.)
| | - Hikaru Peterson
- Department of Applied Economics, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN 55108, USA;
| | - Rebekah Pratt
- Department of Family Medicine and Community Health, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA (R.P.)
| | - Julian Wolfson
- Division of Biostatistics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA;
| | - Caitlin E. Caspi
- Rudd Center for Food Policy and Health, University of Connecticut, Hartford, CT 06103, USA; (M.F.G.-V.); (C.E.C.)
- Department of Allied Health Sciences, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06269, USA
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Caspi CE, Gombi-Vaca MF, Barsness CB, Gordon N, Canterbury M, Peterson HH, Wolfson J, Pratt R. A Cluster-Randomized Evaluation of the SuperShelf Intervention in Choice-Based Food Pantries. Ann Behav Med 2024; 58:100-110. [PMID: 37857305 PMCID: PMC10831215 DOI: 10.1093/abm/kaad060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Interventions in food pantry settings have the potential to improve health among clients at risk of diet-related disease. PURPOSE This study evaluates whether a cluster-randomized, behavioral intervention in food pantries resulted in improved client outcomes. METHODS Sixteen Minnesota food pantries were randomized to an intervention (n = 8) or control condition (n = 8). The intervention offered pantries technical assistance to improve healthy food supply and implement behavioral economics strategies to promote healthy food selection. A convenience sample of adult clients were enrolled (paired sample, 158 intervention, 159 control) and followed for 1 year. Additional clients were enrolled at follow-up to assess food selection (follow-up sample, 85 intervention, 102 control). Analysis was limited to data from 11 pantries (5 intervention, 6 control) due to COVID-19. Outcome measures included Healthy Eating Index-2015 (HEI-2015) total and subcomponent scores for 24-hr dietary recalls and client cart selections, and Life's Simple 7 (LS7) total and subcomponent scores. Multilevel mixed-effects models tested whether client outcomes differed by intervention condition. RESULTS In adjusted models, there were no statistically significant differences by intervention condition in HEI-2015 or LS7 scores. Clients in intervention food pantries had improved Refined Grain subcomponent scores (p = .004); clients in control pantries had worsened Saturated Fat subcomponents scores (p = .019) and improved physical activity scores (p = .007). CONCLUSIONS The intervention did not result in improved diet quality or cardiovascular health as measured by HEI-2015 or LS7. Coordinated efforts across settings are needed to address health risks facing this population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caitlin E Caspi
- University of Connecticut, Department of Allied Health Sciences, Storrs, CT, USA
- University of Connecticut, Rudd Center for Food Policy and Health, Hartford, CT, USA
| | - Maria F Gombi-Vaca
- University of Connecticut, Rudd Center for Food Policy and Health, Hartford, CT, USA
| | - Christina Bliss Barsness
- University of Minnesota, Department of Family Medicine and Community Health, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Nora Gordon
- University of Minnesota, Department of Family Medicine and Community Health, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | | | | | - Julian Wolfson
- University of Minnesota, Division of Biostatistics, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Rebekah Pratt
- University of Minnesota, Department of Family Medicine and Community Health, Minneapolis, MN, USA
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Gombi-Vaca MF, Xu R, Schwartz MB, Caspi CE. Construct validity of the Charitable Food Nutrition Index. Prev Med Rep 2023; 36:102515. [PMID: 38116280 PMCID: PMC10728435 DOI: 10.1016/j.pmedr.2023.102515] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2023] [Revised: 10/24/2023] [Accepted: 11/13/2023] [Indexed: 12/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Food pantries are an important source of food for those facing food insecurity. The Charitable Food Nutrition Index (CFNI) was developed for research and practice to measure the nutritional quality of assortments of foods in this setting. Objective The study assessed the construct validity of the CFNI using secondary data from a group-randomized food pantry intervention in Minnesota. Methods The CFNI was calculated for each client cart post-intervention (n = 187; 85 intervention, 102 control). CFNI scores were based on the proportion of items in each client cart ranked "green," "yellow," or "red" using the Healthy Eating Research Nutrition Guidelines for the Charitable Food System. An implementation score assessing intervention fidelity was measured for each pantry (n = 11; 5 intervention, 6 control) based on the four intervention subcomponents: aesthetics/use of space; healthy food prominence and appeal; unhealthy food de-emphasis; and stocking standards. Mixed linear models were used to test whether: (a) client carts from pantries in the intervention condition had higher CFNI scores than those in the control condition, and (b) higher implementation scores were associated with higher CFNI scores. Results In adjusted models, clients from intervention group pantries had higher CFNI scores, reflecting a healthier assortment of foods compared with clients from control group pantries (p = 0.022). CFNI scores were positively associated with greater fidelity to the intervention (p = 0.020). Conclusions The CFNI was sensitive enough to detect the effects of the intervention in the expected directions. These findings support its construct validity and utility as a measure in the charitable food system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria F. Gombi-Vaca
- Rudd Center for Food Policy and Health, University of Connecticut, One Constitution Plaza, Suite 600, Hartford, CT 06103, United States
| | - Ran Xu
- Department of Allied Health Sciences, University of Connecticut, 358 Mansfield Rd, Unit 1101, Storrs, CT 06269, United States
| | - Marlene B. Schwartz
- Rudd Center for Food Policy and Health, University of Connecticut, One Constitution Plaza, Suite 600, Hartford, CT 06103, United States
- Department of Human Development and Family Sciences, University of Connecticut, 348 Mansfield Road, Unit 1058, Storrs, CT 06269, United States
| | - Caitlin E. Caspi
- Rudd Center for Food Policy and Health, University of Connecticut, One Constitution Plaza, Suite 600, Hartford, CT 06103, United States
- Department of Allied Health Sciences, University of Connecticut, 358 Mansfield Rd, Unit 1101, Storrs, CT 06269, United States
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Mitchell AI, Prescott MP. Evaluating a Campus Food Pantry's Potential Impact on Nutrition Security using the Reach, Effectiveness, Adoption, Implementation, and Maintenance (RE-AIM) Framework. Curr Dev Nutr 2023; 7:101984. [PMID: 37662700 PMCID: PMC10469059 DOI: 10.1016/j.cdnut.2023.101984] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2023] [Revised: 07/24/2023] [Accepted: 07/27/2023] [Indexed: 09/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Campus food pantries are uniquely positioned to promote health equity with the foods they make accessible to food-insecure students. Objectives This study assessed the implementation and effectiveness of a client-choice campus food pantry to understand its potential impact on nutrition security and to inform future implementation. Methods This observational study was designed using the reach, effectiveness, adoption, implementation, and maintenance framework, leveraging administrative data collected from a client-choice campus food pantry at a large Midwest university from August 2020 to May 2022. Pantry staff tracked student usage and item inventory. Items were analyzed for specific nutrients using the Nutrition Data System for Research. The mean nutrients and servings per food group distributed per visit were calculated and compared with dietary recommendations (effectiveness). Characteristics of pantry operation and setup were detailed (adoption). The percentage of openings with adequate stock to meet distribution guidelines was determined (implementation). Descriptive statistics were calculated, and multiple linear regressions determined whether significant changes in nutrients and food were distributed based on distribution guidelines and stock available. Results Effectiveness: Vitamin D, fruits, vegetables, and whole grains were below 3 d of the recommended intake for all students, and energy, fiber, potassium, vitamin A, and grains were low for male students. Adoption: The pantry was established through a collaboration with a pre-existing community food pantry and operates as a 501(c) and is managed by campus recreation staff. Implementation: The pantry supplied enough produce for 72% of openings to meet distribution guidelines and enough dairy for 63% of openings. Conclusions The food and nutrients distributed in limited amounts are consistent with those underconsumed according to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. More research is needed to understand how pantry implementation can best support nutrition security through the adequate distribution of key nutrients and food groups.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana I. Mitchell
- Division of Nutritional Sciences, University of Illinois at Urbana, Champaign, IL, United States
| | - Melissa P. Prescott
- Division of Nutritional Sciences and Food Science and Human Nutrition, University of Illinois at Urbana, Champaign, IL, United States
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Gombi-Vaca MF, Schwartz MB. Evaluation of US Department of Agriculture Foods Programs for Households Using Nutrition Guidelines for the Charitable Food System. J Acad Nutr Diet 2023:S2212-2672(23)00099-0. [PMID: 36841356 DOI: 10.1016/j.jand.2023.02.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2022] [Revised: 01/26/2023] [Accepted: 02/20/2023] [Indexed: 02/26/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND US Department of Agriculture (USDA) Foods programs for households (ie, The Emergency Food Assistance Program, Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations, and Commodity Supplemental Food Program) are designed to provide nutritious foods at no cost to income-eligible individuals in the United States. OBJECTIVE Our aim was to evaluate the nutritional quality of the foods available from 3 USDA Foods programs for households (ie, The Emergency Food Assistance Program, Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations, and Commodity Supplemental Food Program) according to the Healthy Eating Research (HER) Guidelines for the Charitable Food System. DESIGN Review of the nutritional information of the foods available from USDA Foods programs for households was performed. Using the HER Guidelines, foods were categorized into a 3-tiered system (ie, choose often/green; choose sometimes/yellow; choose rarely/red) based on levels of saturated fat, sodium, and added sugar per serving, and presence of whole grains. SETTING All unique foods available from The Emergency Food Assistance Program, Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations, and Commodity Supplemental Food Program (n = 152) for fiscal year 2022 were evaluated. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Nutritional quality of the foods available from USDA Foods programs for households according to the HER guidelines was measured. Foods were ranked green, yellow, red, or not ranked. STATISTICAL ANALYSES PERFORMED The proportion of foods in each HER Guidelines' rank was calculated across the 3 USDA Foods programs for households and by each program. RESULTS The majority of USDA Foods were ranked green (57.3%) or yellow (35.5%). A small number of items were ranked red (3.3%) or were unranked condiments or cooking staples (3.9%). CONCLUSIONS The USDA Foods available in the household programs were primarily fruits and vegetables; lean proteins; whole grains; and low-fat dairy products that were consistent with national dietary guidelines. There is some room for improvement, and adjustments in the specifications for certain items are recommended to strengthen the nutritional value of the foods provided through these important federal programs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria F Gombi-Vaca
- Rudd Center for Food Policy and Health, University of Connecticut, Hartford, Connecticut.
| | - Marlene B Schwartz
- Rudd Center for Food Policy and Health, University of Connecticut, Hartford, Connecticut; Department of Human Development and Family Sciences, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut.
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Andersen CJ, Ragonesi N, Cintrón-Rivera L, Murray K, Cerrito B, Melville J, Mccabe M. Food Pantry Inventories Vary in Food Group Availability, Diversity, and Nutritional Composition Across City Districts: A Pilot Study. Journal of Hunger & Environmental Nutrition 2022. [DOI: 10.1080/19320248.2022.2154629] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Catherine J. Andersen
- Department of Biology, Fairfield University, Fairfield, CT, USA
- Department of Nutritional Sciences, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, USA
| | | | | | - Kristina Murray
- Department of Biology, Fairfield University, Fairfield, CT, USA
| | - Brianna Cerrito
- Department of Biology, Fairfield University, Fairfield, CT, USA
| | - Jamie Melville
- Department of Biology, Fairfield University, Fairfield, CT, USA
| | - Michelle Mccabe
- Center for Food Equity and Economic Development, Bridgeport, CT, USA
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Casagrande SS, Bullard KM, Siegel KR, Lawrence JM. Food insecurity, diet quality, and suboptimal diabetes management among US adults with diabetes. BMJ Open Diabetes Res Care 2022; 10:10/5/e003033. [PMID: 36288809 PMCID: PMC9615992 DOI: 10.1136/bmjdrc-2022-003033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2022] [Accepted: 10/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/04/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION A healthy diet is recommended to support diabetes management, including HbA1c, blood pressure, and cholesterol (ABC) control, but food insecurity is a barrier to consuming a healthy diet. We determined the prevalence of food insecurity and diet quality among US adults with diabetes and the associations with ABC management. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS Cross-sectional analyses were conducted among 2075 adults ≥20 years with diagnosed diabetes who participated in the 2013-2018 National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys. Food insecurity was assessed using a standard questionnaire and diet quality was assessed using quartiles of the 2015 Healthy Eating Index. Adjusted ORs (aOR, 95% CI) were calculated from logistic regression models to determine the association between household food insecurity/diet quality and the ABCs while controlling for sociodemographic characteristics, healthcare utilization, smoking, medication for diabetes, blood pressure, or cholesterol, and body mass index. RESULTS Overall, 17.6% of adults had food insecurity/low diet quality; 14.2% had food insecurity/high diet quality; 33.1% had food security/low diet quality; and 35.2% had food security/high diet quality. Compared with adults with food security/high diet quality, those with food insecurity/low diet quality were significantly more likely to have HbA1c ≥7.0% (aOR=1.85, 95% CI 1.23 to 2.80) and HbA1c ≥8.0% (aOR=1.79, 95% CI 1.04 to 3.08); food insecurity/high diet quality was significantly associated with elevated HbA1c; and food security/low diet quality with elevated A1c. CONCLUSIONS Food insecurity, regardless of diet quality, was significantly associated with elevated A1c. For people with food insecurity, providing resources to reduce food insecurity could strengthen the overall approach to optimal diabetes management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah S Casagrande
- Public Health & Scientific Research, DLH Holdings, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Kai McKeever Bullard
- Division of Diabetes Translation, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Karen R Siegel
- Division of Diabetes Translation, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Jean M Lawrence
- Division of Diabetes, Endocrinology, and Metabolic Diseases, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
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Gombi-vaca MF, Xu R, Schwartz M, Battista Hesse M, Martin K, Caspi CE. Validating a Nutrition Ranking System for Food Pantries Using the Healthy Eating Index-2015. Nutrients 2022; 14:3899. [PMID: 36235551 PMCID: PMC9570681 DOI: 10.3390/nu14193899] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2022] [Revised: 09/05/2022] [Accepted: 09/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
In 2020, charitable food organizations began adopting Healthy Eating Research (HER) nutrition guidelines, which rank individual foods in tiers (e.g., green, yellow, or red) based on each food’s nutrient profile. This study aimed to validate this HER tier-ranked system against the Healthy Eating Index-2015 (HEI) and develop a formula to summarize the percentages of tier-ranked foods in an overall nutritional quality index that correlated with HEI. Using secondary data of foods selected by clients in 16 Minnesota food pantries (n = 503 “client carts”), we generated an HEI score and percentages of green, yellow, and red foods for each cart. As validation, we tested the association between HEI scores and the percentages of tier-ranked foods and compared the means of the tier-ranked variables using quintiles of the HEI scores. HEI scores were positively associated with percentages of green foods and negatively associated with percentages of red foods. Next, we used statistical learning to generate weights to maximize the correlation of the tier-ranked variables and the HEI scores and used these weights to create an index. The index demonstrated a moderate-to-strong correlation with HEI and can be used as a single measure to summarize the overall nutritional quality for sets of tier-ranked foods.
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