Food Spending Research Articles

Impacts of multivalued interventions on maize farmers’ welfare: Evidence from SIPMA development project in Ghana

Recent research has highlighted the significance of agricultural development programmes in Sub-Saharan Africa for enhancing production, food security, and farmer welfare. However, these studies frequently investigate the effects of a single intervention rather than a combination of interventions. This study examines the impact of three interventions (credit access, structured market, and entrepreneurial training) on maize yield, food security, food expenditure and non-food expenditure in Ghana. We utilized multivalued inverse probability weighted regression correction, and propensity score matching with data from the Smallholder Inclusive Productivity and Market Access (SIPMA) agricultural development programme on 477 maize farmers. Participation in SIPMA interventions significantly increased maize yields, farm income, food spending, and non-food spending. For smallholder farmers, participation in a combination of input credit provision, structured market, and entrepreneurial training results in the highest yield, farm income, and non-food expenditures, while participation in entrepreneurial training alone results in a lower yield. Our empirical evidence suggests that the interventions should be expanded to other communities because the project's characteristics are distinctive in terms of fostering community engagement and collaboration with local/regional institutions.

What do we really know about the sales records of student-run restaurants (SRRs)?

ABSTRACT The study addresses a gap in the literature on student-run restaurants (SRRs), emphasizing the lack of discussion surrounding the analysis of sales data to predict patrons’ purchasing behaviors. Combining theoretical frameworks from the theory of dining and socio-economic theory, the research aims to deepen our understanding of how patron groups and menu price formats influence operational outcomes in SRRs, specifically, the total number of menu items purchased and average per-person spending. Utilizing sales data from an SRR (n = 1,114) affiliated with a Midwest public university in the US, this study reveals crucial insights into SRR dynamics. Model 1 uncovers how menu price formats, patron groups, and menu categories shape average per-person food spending. Model 2 highlights the revenue advantage of prix-fixe over à la carte formats. Additionally, Model 3 illustrates how patron groups influence menu choices and purchasing spending. Given the results, this study enriches our understanding of SRR operations by integrating both the theory of dining and socio-economic theory and contributes valuable insights to enhance the sustainability of SRR operations through refining menu planning and profit strategies.

Commercialisation, exogenous shocks and nutrition: Evidence from smallholder farmers in Bangladesh

AbstractThis study empirically analyses the effect of agricultural commercialisation on food spending and nutrition outcomes in Bangladesh. We examine whether exposure to exogenous climate shocks moderates these relationships. We construct individual‐level nutrition measures and time‐varying climate extremes using nationally representative panel data. To address endogeneity concerns, we use an instrument variable approach. Results show that commercialisation leads to an improvement in the broad nutritional profile of individuals. However, the commercialisation–nutrition linkage is weaker for households exposed to frequent climate shocks than those in climate‐resilient areas. Importantly, climate shocks dampen the positive nutritional impacts of commercialisation and exacerbate existing inequalities in the nutritional status within the households. Women and girls appear disproportionately vulnerable to the nutrition‐weakening effects of weather stresses in commercialised agricultural households. This highlights twin policy challenges: strengthening smallholders' resilience to escalating climate risks alongside promoting gender‐equitable, nutrition‐sensitive agricultural commercialisation.

Child and Adult Care Food Program: Family Childcare Home Providers’ Perceptions of Impacts of Increased Meal and Snack Reimbursement Rates during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Introduction: The U.S. Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) provides tiered reimbursements for healthy foods for children at participating family childcare homes (FCCH). Higher tier 1 reimbursements are for providers who operate in low-income communities or who are themselves living on a low income. All FCCHs received a higher rate to address food insecurity during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: A survey was administered in the spring of 2023 to a randomly selected sample of licensed California FCCHs to assess the perceived impacts of the increased reimbursement on CACFP participation and anticipated challenges with reinstated tiered rates. A total of 518 surveys (261 tier 1, 257 tier 2) were analyzed using linear or logistic regression, adjusting for confounders. Results: Among tier 1 and tier 2 providers combined, over half reported lowering out-of-pocket spending for food (59%) and serving greater variety (55%) and quality (54%) of foods. Tier 2 providers reported experiencing more benefits (p < 0.05) and tended to be more likely to implement optional CACFP best practices (although not significantly different between tiers). Most FCCH providers found reimbursement rates were inadequate before (83%) the pandemic; this amount decreased to 54% post-pandemic for tier 1 and tier 2 providers combined. Conclusions: The temporary CACFP reimbursement positively impacted the perceived quality and variety of foods served to children, especially among tier 2 providers. Increased reimbursements for all FCCHs may ensure children have access to the healthy meals and snacks provided by the CACFP.

Crop Diversification, Household Welfare and Conflict: Afghanistan 2011–2017

We use three waves (2011–2012 to 2016–2017) of nationally representative repeated cross section surveys to study the impact of crop diversification (number of crops grown) on household welfare, measured by real adult equivalent consumption and food expenditure and dietary diversity, in Afghanistan. Diversification is very low (almost half grow only one crop and fewer than a fifth grow three or more crops) but increased during the period. A multinomial endogenous switching regression (MESR) addressing selection bias and endogeneity is used to estimate average treatment effects of moving from one crop to two crops and then to three or more crops. The analysis shows that crop diversification increases household consumption and food spending, and, to a modest extent, dietary diversity compared to undiversified households. This holds irrespective of conflict although the effect varies; households experiencing violence tend to divert spending to food from other consumption spending and only the most diversified are able to increase spending compared to undiversified households. The evidence implies that supporting crop diversification can improve food security (through combined effects on spending and food diversity) and mitigate the negative impacts of conflict.

Factors Influencing Fast Food Spending among Final-Year Accounting Students at Botho University, Maseru Campus, Lesotho

Factors Influencing Fast Food Spending among Final-Year Accounting Students at Botho University, Maseru Campus, Lesotho

Factors and Perceptions Associated with Post-Pandemic Food Sourcing and Dietary Patterns among Urban Corner Store Customers in Baltimore, Maryland.

Diet-related disease is rising, disproportionately affecting minority communities in which small food retail stores swamp supermarkets. Barriers to healthy food access were exacerbated by the pandemic. We examined the following: (1) individual- and household-level factors in a sample of Baltimore community members who regularly shop at corner stores and (2) how these factors are associated with indicators of dietary quality. Cross-sectional data were collected using an online survey to capture sociodemographics, anthropometrics, and food sourcing, spending, and consumption patterns. Concurrent quantitative and qualitative analyses were conducted in Stata 18 and ATLAS.ti. This study was set in Baltimore, Maryland, USA. The participants included adults (n = 127) living or working in Baltimore who identified as regular customers of their neighborhood corner store. The respondents were majority Black and low-income, with a high prevalence of food insecurity (62.2%) and overweight/obesity (66.9%). Most (82.76%) shopped in their neighborhood corner store weekly. One-third (33.4%) of beverage calories were attributed to sugar-sweetened beverages, and few met the recommended servings for fruits and vegetables or fiber (27.2% and 10.4%, respectively). Being Black and not owning a home were associated with lower beverage and fiber intake, and not owning a home was also associated with lower fruit and vegetable intake. Food insecurity was associated with higher beverage intake, while WIC enrollment was associated with higher fruit and vegetable and fiber intakes. Open-ended responses contextualized post-pandemic food sourcing and consumption in this setting. This paper helps characterize the consumers of a complex urban food system. The findings will inform future strategies for consumer-engaged improvement of local food environments.

How to complement traditional instruments to measure the economic dimension of food security in older people? An application for regions of Argentina.

Introduction: One of the dimensions of food security has to do with economic access to food. Aim: Propose a methodology that allows evaluating economic access to food in Argentina for the elderly population. Methods: Dietary guides for the Argentine population are used. Meanwhile, the food consumption patterns observed in the elderly population in Argentina are considered from a household expenditure survey, from which implicit food prices can also be obtained. Results: Six dietary plans corresponding to different regions of the country are designed and evaluated and it is found that they would be affordable only in two of the six regions analyzed. Conclusion: in the Metropolitan, Pampas, Cuyo, and Northeast regions the cost of the ideal basket is higher than food spending, fundamentally in the Northeast region where food spending should increase by 25%.

Factors That Most Influence the Choice for Fast Food in a Sample of Higher Education Students in Portugal.

The frequency of fast food consumption among higher education students is high, causing worrying implications for public health. This study aims to relate the factors that influence the choice for fast food with social factors, nutritional status, and fast food consumption in a sample of higher education students in Portugal. An online questionnaire was developed and disseminated by social networks among students during the first half of 2023. Two hundred and thirty-seven students participated, mainly female (65.4%), who were attending public higher education institutions (59.1%), with a median of age of 20.0 (19.0; 22.0) years, and about 20% of the sample had overweight. Approximately 80% consumed fast food, and almost 40% consumed it more than once or twice a week. Predominantly (78.0%), they chose hamburger meals, spending EUR 8.0 per meal. The factors that most influenced the choice of fast food were ease or convenience of preparation (59.9%), price (48.5%), and flavor (28.3%). There were also differences between sexes and between those attending public and private higher education institutions regarding whether they usually consume fast food or not. The body mass index was positively associated with age (r: 0.142; p = 0.029) and with fast food spending (r: 0.146; p = 0.024). The results have implications for public health and clinical nutrition, and can support more effective strategies to improve food choices in higher education students.

Estimating the carbon footprint of Mexican food consumption based on a high-resolution environmentally extended input-output model.

Increased global attention is being paid to the food-health-climate trilemma. In this study, we evaluate the climate impacts of Mexico's food consumption patterns by creating a high-resolution (262 sectors) Environmentally Extended Input-Output (EEIO) model called MXEEIO. We focus on the differences between food away from home (FAFH) and food at home (FAH) and compare Mexico's results with those of the USA. The results show that the main components of food spending in Mexico were meat, baked products, and beverages, raising concerns about their potential negative health effects if consumed excessively. Mexico's total greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from food consumption were estimated at 149 million metric tons (MMT) in 2013, as opposed to 797 MMT for the USA. Meat and dairy products were the main contributors to Mexico's food-related GHG emissions, accounting for 57% of total emissions. Mexico spent a much smaller proportion of food-related income on FAFH than the USA (13% vs. 52%), suggesting great potential for growth as Mexico's per capita GDP continues to rise. Detailed contribution analysis shows that reducing Mexico's food-related GHG emissions would benefit most from a transition to low-carbon cattle farming, but mitigation efforts in other sectors such as crop cultivation and electricity generation are also important. Overall, our study underscores the significance of food-related GHG emissions in Mexico, especially those from meat and dairy products, and the mitigation challenges these sectors face.

Post-Pandemic Rental Housing Affordability Economics in the U.S., U.K., & Canada

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times, serif; font-size: 14pt;">Rental unaffordability is defined as spending more than 30% of a household’s gross income on rent. Post-pandemic inflation and interest rate increases have intensified rental unaffordability. This research examines rental affordability in the U.S., the U.K., and Canada. It also explores the effect of renters’ “affordability knowledge” – defined as the expertise tenants have and use to make economical rental housing choices – on rent expenditure and affordability positioning and compares personal finances, economic perspectives, and demographics based on renters in affordable and unaffordable situations. The results show that nearly two-thirds of the renters studied are in unaffordable rental situations. Interestingly, affordability knowledge was found to reduce rent spent and increase affordability situations. Significant demographic differences were found between those in affordable and unaffordable rental situations, including rent spending, food spending, transportation spending, savings, perceived homeownership likelihood, and age. The research offers important insight into current rental affordability economics, recommendations for policymakers, and opportunities for real estate organizations.</span></p>

The nonlinear responses of food intake to temperature

Using regression analysis on restaurant data, we discovered that food intake varies non-linearly with temperature. In extremely cold weather (≤5 °C), food spending and number of dishes rose, while they fell in hot weather (>35 °C). Energy intake (EI) increased in cold conditions and did not modify in hot conditions. Fat energy ratio grew in severely cold climates (≤0 °C) and diminished in hotter ones (>35 °C). Conversely, carbohydrate energy ratio dropped when temperatures were low and rose in hot weather. However, percentage of energy from protein appeared unrelated to temperature fluctuations.

Food budget ratio as an equitable metric for food affordability and insecurity: a population-based cohort study of 121 remote Indigenous communities in Canada

BackgroundFood insecurity is a public health issue for many regions globally, and especially Indigenous communities. We propose food budget ratio (FBR)—the ratio of food spending to after-tax income—as an affordability metric that better aligns with health equity over traditional price-focused metrics. Existing census and inflation monitoring programs render FBR an accessible tool for future affordability research.MethodsPublic census and food pricing datasets from 2011 to 2021 were analyzed to evaluate food affordability for a cohort of 121 remote Indigenous communities in Canada (n = 80,354 persons as of March 2021). Trends in population-weighted versus community-weighted averages, inflation-adjusted mean price of the Revised Northern Food Basket (RNFB), and distributions of FBR, per-capita price of food, and per-capita after-tax income were calculated and compared to Canada at large.ResultsPopulation-weighted versus community-weighted mean price of the RNFB differed by < 5% for most points in time, peaking at 17%. Mean raw price of the RNFB was relatively stable, while mean inflation-adjusted price of the RNFB decreased 19%. Mean and standard deviation in FBR trended downwards from (0.40; 0.21) in 2011 to (0.25; 0.10) in 2021, while the mean for Canada held stable at 0.10 ± 0.01. Mean and standard deviation in inflation-adjusted per-capita price of food fell from ($5,621; $493) to ($4,510; $243), while the Canada-wide mean rose from $2,189 to $2,567; values for per-capita after-tax income increased from ($17,384; $7,816) to ($21,661; $9,707), while the Canada-wide mean remained between $24,443 and $26,006. Current Nutrition North Canada (NNC) subsidy rates correlate closely with distance to nearest transportation hub (σXY = 0.68 to 0.70) whereas food pricing, after-tax income, and FBR correlate poorly with distance (σXY = -0.22 to 0.03).ConclusionsThe FBR approach yields greater insights on food affordability compared to price-based results, while using readily available public datasets. Whereas 19% reductions in RNFB per-capita food price were observed, FBR decreased 63% yet remained 2.5 times the Canada-wide FBR. The reduction in FBR was driven both by the reduced price of food and a 25% increase in after-tax income. It is recommended that NNC consider FBR for performance measurement and setting subsidy rates.

Who takes up a free lunch? Summer Food Service Program availability and household grocery food spending

The Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) provides free meals to children in low-income neighborhoods as a summertime replacement for the National School Lunch Program (NSLP). Unlike the NSLP, the SFSP does not directly means test its recipients, and there are no large-scale administrative data describing the children it serves. I provide the first descriptive evidence of how SFSP site availability and meal provision varies across states and correlates with area demographics. I find that there is a positive relationship between an area’s likely need and SFSP availability, but availability plateaus before reaching full coverage in the highest poverty areas. As a second-best measure of household take up of the SFSP, I link these data to transaction-level records on household grocery expenditures and study the effect of SFSP availability on households’ grocery food spending. I use variation in the timing and intensity of SFSP meal provision to show that, under some assumptions, households with children reduce weekly grocery food spending by 1.8 percent for each additional meal received. These spending reductions are driven by households who are ineligible for subsidized meals during the academic year, providing suggestive evidence of targeting inefficiencies in the SFSP.

Food insecurity among female farmers in rural West Sleman, Indonesia

BackgroundFarmers, especially females, face the risk of food insecurity for their families. It would be interesting to examine the efforts made by female farmers who experience food insecurity due to the indirect impacts of COVID-19. This study aims to determine how female farmers deal with food insecurity risks in West Sleman. Data on food insecurity experiences are processed with Winstep software and the Rasch model. Ordinal logistic regression analysis calculates the probability of food insecurity for female farmers depending on their traits and the mitigation strategies they adopt.ResultsThe findings of this research show that agricultural laborers (42.3%) are the most numerous type of female farmer, followed by land-owning farmers (40.4%) and land-tenants farmers (17.3%). Although more than 50% of the three types of farmers are food secure, laborers have a higher percentage of moderate-to-severe food insecurity (23%) than land owners (14%) and land tenants (11%). Factors that influence the occurrence of food insecurity are not using the home yard, which is physically accessible to grow food, having an agricultural income of less than IDR 500 thousand, and a house asset value of less than IDR 100 million.ConclusionsCoping strategies for mitigating the risk of food insecurity start from within the family by prioritizing food spending, living frugally, growing food crops in your yard, committing full-time to farming, and avoiding dependence on government assistance. Then, optimizing and strengthening the community.

Food Insecurity Among Aging SNAP Participants and Eligible Nonparticipants in Two Predominantly Low-Income Black Neighborhoods: Implications for SNAP Enrollment and Outreach for Older Adults

BackgroundThe Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) plays a critical role in alleviating poverty and food insecurity. Despite these benefits, many older Americans who are eligible for SNAP do not participate in the program. Few studies have explored household factors and food insecurity outcomes associated with nonparticipation among older Black Americans. ObjectivesThe study aim was to explore changes in food insecurity and related financial hardship outcomes between 2020 and 2021 among SNAP participants, eligible nonparticipants, and ineligible nonparticipants; compare reasons for not participating in SNAP; and to compare household factors associated with SNAP nonparticipation. MethodsLongitudinal design examining data from 2020 and 2021 to assess changes in food insecurity over the course of the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic. Participants/settingParticipants were 528 adults (aged 30 to 97 years) in households randomly selected from a listing of all residential addresses in two predominantly Black neighborhoods with lower incomes in Pittsburgh, PA, and surveyed between March to May 2020 and May to December 2021. Main outcome measuresFood security was measured using the validated 6-item US Department of Agriculture Adult Food Security Survey Module. Statistical analyses performedFindings are based on a descriptive analysis of food security and related indicators. Statistical testing was performed to assess differences between SNAP participation status and individual characteristics, food security, and financial hardship using Wald F test for continuous measures and Pearson χ2 test for categorical measures. A multivariable linear model was used to assess the association of SNAP participation and eligibility status with change in food insecurity. ResultsIn cross-sectional analyses of 2021 data, no differences were observed between SNAP participants and eligible nonparticipants for food insecurity, food bank use, mean weekly food spending per person, and difficulty paying for basics. However, with respect to changes in food insecurity over the course of the pandemic, SNAP participants experienced a greater improvement in mean food security scores between 2020 and 2021 (–0.52 reduction in mean food insecurity score or a 16% improvement in food security; P ≤ 0.05) relative to SNAP-eligible nonparticipants. Perceived ineligibility (71.3%) and perceived lack of need (23%) were the most common reasons for not participating in SNAP. ConclusionsMore than one-third of SNAP participants and eligible nonparticipants experienced food insecurity and financial hardship. However, there were differences in the changes in food insecurity between these groups.

The Impact of COVID-19 Vaccination on Food Spending Behavior in the United States

The Impact of COVID-19 Vaccination on Food Spending Behavior in the United States

Analyzing the Impact of Road Infrastructure Spending on Rural Household Welfare (Food Security) in Laos: A Comparison of DID and PSM-DID Approaches

To investigate the effects of road infrastructure investments on rural household welfare, this study combines DID analysis with Propensity Score Matching (PSM) and Difference-in-Differences (DID). Initial DID results point to a non-significant impact of road infrastructure investment on household well-being; however, PSM-DID analysis yields different conclusions. The non-significant DID results show a possible mismatch between theoretical predictions and actual results, challenging preconceived notions and contradicting empirical data. Nonetheless, the next PSM-DID analysis shows that investments in road infrastructure have a notable and beneficial effect on household welfare, especially when it comes to real food spending per capita. These findings highlight the need to use reliable approaches to precisely evaluate the effects of infrastructure investments. Furthermore, well-being is favorably influenced by control variables including household business, education, and urbanization. Welfare, however, is adversely affected by the size of the home and the number of individuals residing there. These results underline the complexity of rural development and the need for more study to fully comprehend the intricate relationships between these factors.

THE EFFECT OF FOOD ACQUISITION OUTSIDE EXPENDITURES ON THE FOOD SECURITY OF CASSAVA (Manihot utilissima) FARMER HOUSE- HOLDS IN WONOGIRI REGENCY

As the standard of living increases, the orientation of food consumption shifts from fulfilling intake to fulfilling nutrition. The acquisition of sustenance by means other than farming and government aid can enhance nutritional satisfaction, increasing energy consumption as a measure of food security. This study aimed to assess the impact of food acquisition outside expenditure on the food security of cassava farmer households in Wonogiri Regency. The research was conducted in July 2022. The method of analysis was descriptive quantitative with purposive location determination. A representative sample of 80 households was chosen by applying the proportionate allocation formula. Data were collected using 2 x 24-hour Food Recall. The data analysis in this study focused on three key variables: income, the proportion of food spending, and the Wilcoxon test of energy consumption and food security among farmer households. These variables were examined before and after food acquisition from external sources. The results showed that the average monthly income of farmers was Rp4,985,487.00. The proportion of food expenditure amounted to 33.36 percent. Wilcoxon test showed a significant difference in energy consumption before and after food acquisition outside expenditure. The food security classification of cassava farmer households before the acquisition of food outside expenditure showed that 21.25 percent were classified as food secure, 15 percent were classified as food susceptible, 52.5 percent as food insecure, and 11.25 percent as severely food insecure. After the additional food outside expenditure, the food security classification increased, with 45 percent classified as food secure, 23.75 percent as food susceptible, 25 percent as food insecure, and 6.25 percent as severely food insecure. This finding demonstrates that food utilization from farming and the Non-Cash Food Assistance (Bantuan et al./BPNT) program positively impacts the food security conditions of cassava farmer households in Wonogiri Regency.

The Antecedents of Food Spending Habits among Students

In an era of shifting cultural, economic, and dietary landscapes, the study of food spending habits has become extremely important. There is a lack of comprehensive studies on the financial constraints faced by students and how these limitations impact on their food spending choices. This study examines the underlying factors and determinants that influence the food spending habits of students within the context of higher education. The main objective of this study was to examine the antecedents of students’ food spending habits. A set of questionnaires was distributed to 107 students at Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) Puncak Alam and analyzed. The result demonstrated that all independent variables (promotional advertisements, personal preferences, and cultural trends) tested in this study have a significant impact on students' food spending habits. Findings from this study would be beneficial to policymakers, businesses in the food industry, and educational institutions in promoting healthier and sustainable food spending habits among students. Hence, it is expected that it can provide valuable insights into various aspects of an individual’s life and the broader economy.