Abstract
BackgroundHealthy Start is a food assistance programme in the United Kingdom (UK) which aims to provide a nutritional safety-net and enable low-income families on welfare benefits to access a healthier diet through the provision of food vouchers. Healthy Start was launched in 2006 but remains under-evaluated. This study aims to determine whether participation in the Healthy Start scheme is associated with differences in food expenditure in a nationally representative sample of households in the UK.MethodsCross-sectional analyses of the Living Costs and Food Survey dataset (2010–2017). All households with a child (0–3 years) or pregnant woman were included in the analysis (n = 4869). Multivariable quantile regression compared the expenditure and quantity of fruit and vegetables (FV), infant formula and total food purchases. Four exposure groups were defined based on eligibility, participation and income (Healthy Start Participating, Eligible Non-participating, Nearly Eligible low-income and Ineligible high-income households).ResultsOf 876 eligible households, 54% participated in Healthy Start. No statistically significant differences were found in FV or total food purchases between participating and eligible non-participating households, but infant formula purchases were lower in Healthy Start participating households. Ineligible higher-income households had higher purchases of FV.ConclusionThis study did not find evidence of an association between Healthy Start participation and FV expenditure. Moreover, inequalities in FV purchasing persist in the UK. Higher participation and increased voucher value may help to improve programme performance and counteract the harmful effects of poverty on diet.
Highlights
Healthy Start is a food assistance programme in the United Kingdom (UK) which aims to provide a nutritional safety-net and enable low-income families on welfare benefits to access a healthier diet through the provi‐ sion of food vouchers
This paper aims to determine whether Healthy Start participation is associated with differences in purchasing of fruit and vegetables (FV), infant formula and total food purchases among households who are Healthy Start participants, eligible non-participants, nearly eligible non-participants and ineligible non-participants
A total of 876 households were eligible for Healthy Start, of these, 54% (n = 475) reported participating in Healthy Start and 46% (n = 401) households were Eligible Non-participants
Summary
Healthy Start is a food assistance programme in the United Kingdom (UK) which aims to provide a nutritional safety-net and enable low-income families on welfare benefits to access a healthier diet through the provi‐ sion of food vouchers. The UK’s Healthy Start scheme was introduced in 2006 by the Department of Health and Social Care, with a stated aim of providing a nutritional safety net and improving the access to a healthy diet for low-income families [8, 9]. This UK-wide statutory scheme entitles low-income families with a pregnant woman or child aged 0–3 years to receive vouchers which can be redeemed for FV, cow’s milk and infant formula (see Table S1 for details). Uptake is strongly determined by health professionals signposting participants in pre- and post-natal healthcare appointments [15]
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
