An assessment of the barriers to accessing food among food-insecure people in Cobourg, Ontario.

Introduction: Low-income people are most vulnerable to food insecurity; many turn to community and/or charitable food programs to receive free or low-cost food. This needs assessment aims to collect information on the barriers to accessing food programs, the opportunities for improving food access, the barriers to eating fresh vegetables and fruit, and the opportunities to increasing their consumption among food-insecure people in Cobourg, Ontario.

Methods: We interviewed food program clients using structured individual interviews consisting of mostly opened-ended questions.

Results: Food program clients identified barriers to using food programs as lack of transportation and the food programs having insufficient quantities of food or inconvenient operating hours. They also stated a lack of available vegetables and fruit at home, and income as barriers to eating more vegetables and fruit, but suggested a local fresh fruit and vegetable bulk-buying program called "Good Food Box" and community gardens as opportunities to help increase their vegetable and fruit intake.

Discussion: Many of the barriers and opportunities identified can be addressed by working with community partners to help low-income individuals become more food secure.