The acorn squash problem: a digestible conceptualisation of barriers to emergency food assistance.

BACKGROUND: In common narratives of emergency food assistance, donors likely believe their efforts directly manifest as people consuming their donated food. For example, a person donating canned lima beans during a canned food drive may visualise someone eventually eating those lima beans. However, cultural and socio-economic barriers often exist that prevent people from accessing and consuming the donated food. These barriers are often complex and otherwise well-intentioned donors, volunteers and organisations may not initially consider them. METHOD: This commentary article, which draws from existing US emergency food systems literature, uses the imagery of an acorn squash one might find at a US food pantry to conceptualise these barriers in a straightforward way. RESULTS: Examining emergency food assistance through the lens of the acorn squash problem can help donors, volunteers and organisations better connect with food-insecure people. The lens of the acorn squash problem also allows for deeper critiques of some practices of emergency food systems.

Beverage behaviors and correlates among Head Start preschooler-parent dyads.

OBJECTIVES: To describe beverage behaviors among preschooler-parent dyads and explore correlates with preschooler's beverage behaviors. METHODS: This exploratory, cross-sectional study includes a convenience sample of 202 parents of preschoolers surveyed from four Head Start programs in Virginia and Ohio. Measurements included parent-child beverage behaviors, parent beverage perceptions, parent beverage rules, home beverage availability, and demographics. Analyses included descriptive statistics, correlations, Kruskal-Wallis test, and Quade's non-parametric ANCOVA tests. RESULTS: Mean sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB; i.e., regular soda, sweetened fruit drinks, sports/energy drinks, and coffee/tea with sugar) intake was 1.3 (SD = 1.4) and 2.3 (SD = 2.0) times/day for preschoolers and parents, respectively. When considering all sugary drink sources [i.e., summing SSB with flavored milk and 100% fruit juice (FJ)], the mean frequency increased to 3.2 (SD = 2.1) and 3.6 (SD = 2.4) times/day, respectively, for preschoolers and parents. A significant positive correlation was observed between preschooler-parent dyads for SSB (r = 0.406, p < 0.001) and for all sugary drinks (r = 0.572, p < 0.001). Parents who were younger, single, less educated, and with lower income had preschoolers with significantly higher SSB and all sugary drink intake (all p < 0.05). Significant correlates with preschoolers' beverage behaviors also included parent perceived behavioral control (SSB: p = 0.003, 100% FJ: p = 0.008, water: p < 0.0001), parenting practices (SSB: p = 0.022), and home availability (SSB: p = 0.011, 100% FJ: p < 0.001, water: p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: This study highlights excessive SSB and all sugary drink consumption among Head Start preschooler-parent dyads. Also, intervention targets to improve preschooler's beverage behaviors are identified, including efforts to improve parent's beverage behaviors, perceived behavioral control, parenting practices, and the home environment.

Using mixed methods to measure the perception of community capacity in an academic-community partnership for a walking intervention.

H.U.B. City Steps is a 5-year community-based participatory research walking intervention designed to help lower blood pressure in a majority African American population in southern Mississippi via community collaboration and capacity building, increased walking, culturally tailored health education sessions, and motivational interviewing. Building community capacity for physical activity is a key component of this intervention. Qualitative and quantitative methods have been used to assess how project stakeholders perceive the community capacity-building efforts of the project. This article illustrates the baseline results of this mixed methods approach from the perspective of three groups of stakeholders: project researchers and staff, community advisory board, and intervention walking coaches. Eight constructs were examined, including leadership, resources, external networking, visibility and recognition, personnel sustainability, ability and commitment to organize, communication with community members, and relationships with influential others. Quantitative results indicated significant differences among stakeholder groups for project leadership and personnel sustainability. Qualitative perspectives provided an opportunity to examine possible reasons for these differences. Overall findings provide direction related to improving intervention outcomes and sustainability.

Contributing Factors of Sugar-Sweetened Beverage Intake in the Latinx Population: A Narrative Review Using the Social-Ecological Model.

Sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) consumption in the Latinx population has been a topic of increasing interest due to higher rates of consumption in this population, as well as higher prevalence of chronic health conditions, such as diabetes and obesity. SSB behaviors are influenced by multiple factors across the socio-ecological model. Understanding these factors can inform future intervention development and improve SSB consumption and overall health. Therefore, this narrative review identifies factors contributing to SSB consumption, as well as interventions conducted to address SSB consumption in the Latinx population residing in the United States. Contributing factors that are not currently addressed in published interventions are highlighted with the intent to inform the development of future comprehensive interventions.

The theory of planned behavior and strength training in college-aged women.

ObjectivesUsing Theory of Planned Behavior, the objective of this study was to determine how attitudes, subjective norms and perceived behavior control related to intent to strength training by college-aged women. Participants: Participants were college-aged females (N = 162) from a mid-sized private university in the Midwestern United States who were divided into three groups: non-exercisers, cardiovascular-only exercisers, and strength or strength and cardiovascular exercisers. Methods: Participants completed a questionnaire assessing attitudes, subjective norms and perceived behavior control in relation to strength training behavior. MANOVA was utilized to examine the differences between groups. Results: The MANOVA was significant at p < .01. Post hoc analysis indicated strength training participation was significantly higher for non-exercisers and cardiovascular-only exercisers for the attitude and perceived behavior control constructs (p<.05) but not for subjective norm. Conclusions: Perceived behavior control and direct attitude factors may be strong contributors to college-aged women's participation in strength training.

Food insecurity, financial priority, and nutrition literacy of university students at a mid-size private university.

Objectives: The purpose of the study was to examine food insecurity in a mid-sized private Catholic university, taking into consideration students' financial prioritization and nutrition literacy. Participants: Participants included 560 university undergraduate and graduate students in the fall of 2017. Methods: Measures assessed food insecurity, nutrition literacy, and financial prioritization. The USDA 6-question food insecurity screener and the New Vital Signs Food Label Instruments were utilized to measure food security and nutrition literacy. To measure financial priority, participants ranked nine items from highest to lowest priority. Results: Out of 560 university students, 35.8% of students were characterized as food insecure. Students who prioritized spending money on alcohol or tuition had higher odds of experiencing food insecurity. Conclusion: Prevalence of food insecurity may be as prevalent in private universities as in public universities. This warrants exploration to identify contributing factors and long-term solutions.

Exploration of Sugar-Sweetened Beverage Intake in a Latinx Population.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose was to explore contributing factors of sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) intake in Latinx residing in Southwest Ohio to inform the development of future interventions. DESIGN: This was a qualitative study utilizing focus groups. PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING: Latinx participants were recruited from local churches, community centers, and universities to participate in 1 of 6 focus groups (n = 43). PHENOMENON OF INTEREST: Individual, relational, community, and sociocultural factors related to SSB consumption. ANALYSIS: Constant comparative analysis of focused, axial, and selective coding to develop themes. Memo writing assisted with conceptualization of the data. Themes mirrored the Socioecological Model. RESULTS: SSB consumption is rooted in cultural identity and social norms. Other factors include availability, taste, and energy. Suggestions for change consisted of finding acceptable substitutions, creating socially appropriate support networks, developing community and workplace policies, and countering the impact of advertising. CONCLUSION AND IMPLICATIONS: This study highlights factors across the ecological model that contribute to Latinx SSB consumption in Southwest Ohio. Similar studies in other geographical areas in the US are warranted to confirm these findings. Individual, intrapersonal, community, and societal factors may be utilized in tailoring SSB interventions for Latinx adults to enhance cultural capital and create behavior change. Future interventions may explore and test these factors using the Model of Cultural Change.

Examining the diet of post-migrant Hispanic males using the precede-proceed model: predisposing, reinforcing, and enabling dietary factors.

OBJECTIVE: To examine socio-environmental, behavioral, and predisposing, reinforcing, and enabling (PRE) factors contributing to post-migration dietary behavior change among a sample of traditional Hispanic males. DESIGN: In this descriptive study, semistructured interviews, a group interview, and photovoice, followed by group interviews, were used to examine dietary change and contributing factors. The behavioral, environmental, organizational, and educational assessment phases of the PRECEDE-PROCEED model guided the organization of dietary contributing factors for development of a nutrition intervention. SETTING: The southern region of Mississippi. PARTICIPANTS: Traditional Hispanic males (n = 19) were identified from 35 Hispanic males who participated in a larger study. The traditional Hispanic males were identified by the Acculturation Rating Scale for Mexican Americans-II and the Marginality Scale. ANALYSIS: Using the Grounded Theory approach to data analysis, themes and core categories relating to dietary behavior were identified and defined during the analysis process. The constant comparison method was used to identify key themes among coders. RESULTS: Cultural gender role and living structure, as socio-environmental factors, influenced the PRE dietary factors. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: Multiple factors influence dietary behavior in the target population. The identified socio-environmental factors underlie the PRE factors and, therefore, must first be addressed in nutrition interventions.

Aceptabilidad de un atole fortificado con 21 micronutrientes e impacto en la salud y nutrición de niños menores de 6 años de edad en la ciudad de guatemala / Acceptability of a 21 micronutrient-fortified atole and its impact on health and nutrition in children under 6 years of age from guatemala city

Con el objetivo de reducir la desnutrición crónica de niños que asisten 6 jardines infantiles en la Ciudad de Guatemala, se utilizó una bebida a base de soya y maíz como vehículo para el aporte de 21 micronutrientes con niveles elevados de hierro (12mg) y zinc (9mg) y se ofreció a 747 niños entre los 6 meses y 6 años. Se realizó seguimiento antropométrico cada 3m, Hb cada 6m y se registró el número de episodios de enfermedad diarreica aguda e infección respiratoria aguda a lo largo de la intervención. Un ANOVA longitudinal de medidas repetidas demostró que la media de la Hb mejoró de manera significativa a los 6 y 12m de recibir la bebida fortificada (11,26, 11,64, y 11,89g/dL, respectivamente), p<0,01; la prevalencia de anemia disminuyó 44,2% después de 12m, p<0,01; la media del puntaje z de talla para la edad también mejoró, -1,25 (0m) y -1,07 (12m), p<0.01; la prevalencia de retardo del crecimiento disminuyó 25% a los 12m. Se observó una disminución significativa en la prevalencia de infección respiratoria aguda y no se observaron cambios en la prevalencia de diarrea. Un estudio de aceptabilidad demostró que los niños consumen más del 98% del producto. Los resultados sugieren que la intervención con el atole fortificado mejora el estado nutricional y de salud de los niños. El producto es aceptado por los niños y el personal de los jardines infantiles(AU)

With the aim to reduce chronic undernutrition in children that attended 6 Guatemala City daycare centers, a corn and soy-based beverage was used as a vehicle to provide 21 micronutrients and high concentrations of iron (12mg) and zinc (9 mg) and was provided to747 children aged 6 to 72 months. Children were followed for anthropometry every 3m, hemoglobin every 6m, and episodes of acute diarrhea and respiratory tract infections were registered throughout the intervention. A longitudinal Repeated Measures ANOVA demonstrated that mean hemoglobin significantly improved at 6 and 12m of receiving the beverage (11.26, 11.64, and 11.89g/dL, respectively), p<0.01; the prevalence of anemia decreased by 44.2% after 12m, p<0.01; mean height-for-age z score improved from -1.25 (0m) to -1.07 (12m), p<0.01; the prevalence of stunting decreased by 25% after 12m. A significant decrease in the prevalence of acute respiratory infection was observed. No changes were observed in the prevalence of diarrhea. Moreover, an acceptability study showed that children consumed more than 98% of the atole. These results suggest that this nutrition intervention with the fortified atole improves the health and nutritional status of children. The product is widely accepted by the children and staff at the nurseries(AU)