P170 Four-Week Nutrition Education Series Associated with Improved Dietary Behaviors and Confidence Among SNAP-Eligible Mainers

Abstract

Background Ten Tips for Adults (10 Tips) was developed by the University of New England, implementing agency for Maine Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program-Education (SNAP-Ed). 10 Tips comprises two independent four-session nutrition education series: Series A focuses on MyPlate while Series B focuses on eating better on a budget. Altarum was contracted by the State of Maine—DHHS Office for Family Independence to evaluate 10 Tips. Objective To assess changes in dietary behaviors and cooking and purchasing foods on a budget among participants in 10 Tips. Study Design, Settings, Participants The target audience is Maine adults eligible for SNAP benefits. A retrospective pre/post survey was administered to 10 Tips participants after the last class. Measurable Outcome/Analysis The survey assessed dietary behaviors and confidence cooking and purchasing foods on a budget before and after participation in 10 Tips. To estimate significant changes, Wilcoxon signed rank tests and z-tests with Bonferroni correction were used. Longitudinal modeling assessed the association between number of sessions attended and outcomes. Results Respondents significantly improved consumption of fruit, vegetables, low-fat and skim dairy products, whole grains, and sweets after participating in 10 Tips (P Conclusion Respondents significantly increased consumption of healthy foods and water, decreased consumption of SSB and sweets, and improved skills in buying and preparing healthy foods on a budget after participation in 10 Tips.