Examining Shopping Patterns, Use of Food-Related Resources, and Proposed Solutions to Improve Healthy Food Access Among Food Insecure and Food Secure Eastern North Carolina Residents

Mary Jane Lyonnais,Rebecca J Blanchard,Stephanie Jilcott Pitts,Archana P Kaur,Ann P Rafferty

doi:10.3390/ijerph17103361

Abstract

In the Southern United States (U.S.), food insecurity rates are higher in rural (20.8%) versus urban communities (15%). Food insecurity can exacerbate diet-related disease. Thus, the purpose of this study was to examine differences in the use of food-related community resources and potential solutions proposed among food insecure versus food secure residents. A community survey (n = 370) was conducted in rural eastern North Carolina, with questions pertaining to food security status and food-related resources. The IBM SPSS Statistics software and SAS software were used to examine differences in food-related resources, and qualitative data analysis was used to examine differences in solutions offered between food insecure and food secure participants. Of the 370 respondents, forty-eight-point-six percent were classified as food insecure. Food insecure participants were more likely to report shopping for groceries at a convenience/discount store, less likely to use their own vehicle for transportation, and less likely to purchase food from local producers. Food insecure participants were more likely to suggest solutions related to reducing the cost of healthy food, while food secure participants were more likely to suggest educational or convenience-related interventions.

Highlights

The U.S Department of Agriculture (USDA) defines food insecurity as a “lack of consistent access to enough food for an active, healthy life”. [1]
Seligman et al analyzed a representative sample of National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey participants and found that food insecure participants in the U.S were 32% more likely to be obese than food secure participants, and severely food insecure individuals were twice as likely to develop type 2 diabetes than their counterparts [5]
U.S food insecurity rates are higher in rural communities (12.7%) than in urban communities (10.8%) of the U.S The disparity is greater for the Southern region of the U.S, with non-metropolitan areas having 20.8% food insecure residents compared to metropolitan areas at

Summary

Introduction

Food insecurity negatively affects health through increases in the prevalence and severity of diet-related disease [2,3,4]. Seligman et al analyzed a representative sample of National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey participants and found that food insecure participants in the U.S were 32% more likely to be obese than food secure participants, and severely food insecure individuals were twice as likely to develop type 2 diabetes than their counterparts [5]. Nutrition-related initiatives that address and alleviate food insecurity are needed, in the rural Southern U.S. There are complex reasons for the urban and rural food insecurity disparity, which could be partially attributed to fewer food-related resources available in rural areas [7,8].

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Discussion

Conclusion