Abstract
Poor diet quality among low-income populations is a major contributing factor to their poor health and wellbeing, and thus is a focus of many government aid programs. Mobile food pantries are an increasingly popular method of emergency food assistance, targeting the communities most affected by food insecurity; however, little is known about the dietary characteristics of mobile food pantry users. This study aims to characterize the diet quality and nutrient adequacy level and examine its association with sociodemographic characteristics among mobile food pantry users in Windham County, Connecticut. Surveys to assess food insecurity, diet composition, and sociodemographic characteristics were administered to 83 adult food pantry users. Participants (n = 40) completed a three-day dietary record for analysis of diet quality, and were found to have inadequate intakes of fruits, vegetables, whole grains and dairy, as well as some related micronutrients. At least 30% of participants had intakes below the Estimated Average Requirement (EAR) for vitamins A, C, E, calcium, zinc, magnesium, and folate. Intakes of added sugar, sugar sweetened beverages, and saturated fat were also above recommendations according to the United States Dietary Guidelines. Certain sociodemographic factors affected diet quality among this sample. For example, being male was associated with increased sugar-sweetened beverage and added sugar intake. This characterization of mobile pantry users will serve as a reference for developing nutrition education and determining the effectiveness of future interventions.
Highlights
Food insecurity is a startlingly prevalent challenge faced by millions of Americans, leading to numerous dietary disparities
The current study aims to characterize mobile food pantry users in Windham County—
Food security and income are low compared to state averages—as Windham county is the poorest in Connecticut [3]
Summary
Food insecurity is a startlingly prevalent challenge faced by millions of Americans, leading to numerous dietary disparities. Food insecurity—defined as not having the right types, or amount, of food to feed all individuals in the household—disproportionately affects minorities and those living below the federal poverty line [1]. Even though Connecticut is one of the wealthiest states in the country, it has over 400,000 residents struggling with hunger [2]. The wealth distribution in Connecticut has led to pockets of low-income residents throughout the state. Windham County, in the Northeastern corner of the state, has the lowest county-wide median income in Connecticut [3]. The food insecurity rate is 16.4% and the poverty rate is 25.4%, higher than the national and state average [3]
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