P9 Diet Quality Among Food Bank Clients in Southern Arizona

Abstract

Background Community Food Bank of Southern Arizona (CFBSA) clients have self-reported a high prevalence of diet-related disease. Understanding the relationship between diet quality and disease can inform interventions designed to improve the health of food bank clients. Objective The aim of this cross-sectional study was to characterize CFBSA clients’ diet quality and its components. Study Design, Settings, Participants CFBSA clients were recruited from three locations June-December 2018. Age, gender, race/ethnicity, employment, diet-related disease risk, and frequency of government and food bank assistance were collected by study staff on site. Respondents were invited to enroll and complete one interviewer-administered 24-hour dietary recall. Measurable Outcome/Analysis The Healthy Eating Index (HEI)-2015 was used to assess diet quality. Intake of 13 (HEI) -2015 components were summarized. Differences in household demographic, socioeconomic, and disease status were compared between participants who did/did not complete the 24-hr recall. Results Two hundred and thirty four participants were enrolled; 197 completed the study (77.4% female; 56.0 ±13.9 years-old; 81.5% non-White; 40.3% indicated ≥12 food bank visits in the past year). Self-reported household health conditions included diabetes (41.7%), high blood pressure (59.7%), and high cholesterol (48.9%). The mean diet quality score for the sample was 52.3 ± 15.6 (range 11.5-86.8). HEI standards were only met for protein, but fell short for total and whole fruit, total vegetables, greens & beans, whole and refined grains, dairy, seafood/plant protein, added sugar, saturated fat, sodium, and mono-/poly-unsaturated to saturated fatty acid ratio. There were no significant differences in demographics, socioeconomic or disease status between those who did/did not complete the recall. Conclusion Diet quality among CFBSA clients was low compared to national multiethnic studies, and reflected low intake of fruit, vegetables, dairy, and seafood/plant proteins, and fatty acid ratio, and high intake of added sugar, saturated fat, sodium, and refined grains relative to recommendations. These data provide specific targets for a future CFBSA-led intervention to reduce diet-sensitive disease burden in clients. Funding Community Food Bank of Southern Arizona.