Rural SNAP Participants and Food Insecurity: How Can Communities Leverage Resources to Meet the Growing Food Insecurity Status of Rural and Low-Income Residents?

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health

KathrynM. Cardarelli¹  Alison Gustafson²  Heather Norman-Burgdolf²  Stacey Slone³  Emily DeWitt⁴  Rachel Gillespie⁴ 

[1]College of Public Health, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40506, USA

[2]Department of Dietetics and Human Nutrition, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40506, USA

[3]Department of Statistics, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40506, USA

[4]Family and Consumer Sciences Extension, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40506, USA

关键词: rural;    food insecurity;    food access;   

DOI  :  10.3390/ijerph17176037

来源: DOAJ

【 摘 要 】

The burden of obesity disproportionately influences poor health outcomes in rural communities in the United States. Various social and environmental factors contribute to inadequate food access and availability in rural areas, influencing dietary intakes and food insecurity rates. This study aims to identify patterns related to food insecurity and fruit and vegetable consumption within a SNAP-eligible and low-income, highly obese rural Appalachian community. A prospective cohort was implemented to identify gaps in resources addressing obesity and food insecurity challenges. SAS 9.4 software was used to examine differences in dietary intakes and shopping practices among SNAP participants. Among participants (n = 152), most reported an annual household income less than USD 20,000 (n = 90, 60.4%), 29.1% reported food insecurity, and 39.5% reported receiving SNAP benefits within the last month. The overall mean FV intake was 3.46 daily servings (95% CI: 3.06–3.91) among all participants. SNAP participation was associated with food insecurity (p = 0.007) and those participating in SNAP were two times more likely to report being food insecure (OR = 2.707, 95% CI: 1.317, 5.563), relative to non-participants. These findings further depict the need for intervention, as the burden of food insecurity persists. Tailoring health-promoting initiatives to consider rurality and SNAP participation is vital for sustainable success among these populations.

【 授权许可】

Unknown