Experiences participating in federal nutrition assistance programs during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic: an investigation in Vermont.

IF 4.4 2区 医学 Q1 NUTRITION & DIETETICS
Emma H Spence, Meredith T Niles, Farryl Bertmann, Emily H Belarmino
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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Background: Federal nutrition assistance programs serve as safety nets for many American households, and participation has been linked to increased food security and, in some instances, improved diet quality and mental health outcomes. The COVID-19 pandemic brought new and increased economic, social, and psychological challenges, necessitating inquiry into how nutrition assistance programs are functioning and associated with public health outcomes.

Methods: Using data from a representative statewide survey administered in Vermont (n = 600) between July and September 2020, we examined participant experiences with major federal nutrition assistance programs: the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), and school meal programs. We explored quantitative and qualitative responses regarding perceptions of program utility, and used nearest neighbors matching analyses in combination with bivariate statistical tests to assess associations between program participation and food insecurity, perceived stress, and fruit and vegetable intake as indicators of dietary quality.

Results: One in four respondents (27.3%) used at least one federal nutrition assistance program. As compared to non-participants, we found higher rates of food insecurity among program participants (57.5% vs. 18.1%; p < 0.001), an association that persisted even when we compared similar households using matching techniques (p ≤ 0.001). From matched analyses, we found that, compared to low-income non-participants, low-income program participants were less likely to meet fruit intake recommendations (p = 0.048) and that low-income SNAP and WIC participants were less likely to meet vegetable intake recommendations (p = 0.035). We also found lower rates of perceived stress among low-income school meal participant households compared to low-income non-participants (p = 0.039). Despite these mixed outcomes, participants broadly valued federal nutrition assistance programs, characterizing them as helpful or easy to use.

Conclusions: We found that federal nutrition assistance programs as a group were not sufficient to address food insecurity and stress or increase fruit and vegetable intake in the state of Vermont during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic. Nonetheless, participants perceived benefits from participation in these programs. Optimizing the utility of nutrition assistance programs depends on critical examination of their functioning under conditions of great stress.

在 COVID-19 大流行的最初几个月参与联邦营养援助计划的经历:佛蒙特州的一项调查。
背景:联邦营养援助计划是许多美国家庭的安全网,参与该计划可提高粮食安全,在某些情况下还可改善饮食质量和心理健康。COVID-19 大流行带来了新的和更多的经济、社会和心理挑战,因此有必要调查营养援助计划是如何运作的以及与公共卫生结果的关联:利用 2020 年 7 月至 9 月期间在佛蒙特州进行的一项具有代表性的全州调查(n = 600)中的数据,我们研究了参与者在主要联邦营养援助计划方面的经验:补充营养援助计划 (SNAP)、妇女、婴儿和儿童特别补充营养计划 (WIC) 以及学校膳食计划。我们探讨了有关对计划效用看法的定量和定性回答,并结合使用近邻匹配分析和双变量统计检验来评估计划参与与食物不安全、感知压力以及作为饮食质量指标的水果和蔬菜摄入量之间的关联:四分之一的受访者(27.3%)至少参加过一项联邦营养援助计划。与未参与计划的受访者相比,我们发现参与计划的受访者中粮食不安全的比例更高(57.5% 对 18.1%;P 结论:我们发现,联邦营养援助计划作为一种膳食质量指标,能够帮助受访者提高膳食质量:我们发现,在 COVID-19 大流行的最初几个月中,联邦营养援助计划作为一个群体并不足以解决佛蒙特州的食物不安全和压力问题,也不足以增加水果和蔬菜的摄入量。尽管如此,参与者还是认为参与这些计划是有益的。要优化营养援助计划的效用,就必须对其在巨大压力条件下的功能进行严格审查。
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来源期刊
Nutrition Journal
Nutrition Journal NUTRITION & DIETETICS-
CiteScore
9.80
自引率
0.00%
发文量
68
审稿时长
4-8 weeks
期刊介绍: Nutrition Journal publishes surveillance, epidemiologic, and intervention research that sheds light on i) influences (e.g., familial, environmental) on eating patterns; ii) associations between eating patterns and health, and iii) strategies to improve eating patterns among populations. The journal also welcomes manuscripts reporting on the psychometric properties (e.g., validity, reliability) and feasibility of methods (e.g., for assessing dietary intake) for human nutrition research. In addition, study protocols for controlled trials and cohort studies, with an emphasis on methods for assessing dietary exposures and outcomes as well as intervention components, will be considered. Manuscripts that consider eating patterns holistically, as opposed to solely reductionist approaches that focus on specific dietary components in isolation, are encouraged. Also encouraged are papers that take a holistic or systems perspective in attempting to understand possible compensatory and differential effects of nutrition interventions. The journal does not consider animal studies. In addition to the influence of eating patterns for human health, we also invite research providing insights into the environmental sustainability of dietary practices. Again, a holistic perspective is encouraged, for example, through the consideration of how eating patterns might maximize both human and planetary health.
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