Providing Nutrition Information Research Articles

Engaging with First Line Nutrition Information - Insights from Health Care Professionals and Older Persons

Abstract Background Health care professionals (HCPs) working with older persons are often asked nutrition related questions. This study explored how first line nutrition information such as general leaflets are accessed and used by HCPs and older persons. Is there a role for video-based nutrition education? Methods HCPs working with older persons completed an online survey. An older person’s reference group participated in a virtual focus group. Participants were asked about knowledge seeking, accessing and providing nutrition information, and engaging with videos on nutrition topics. Results were analysed using descriptive statistics and thematic analysis. Results Ninety five HCPs completed the survey (44% Nursing, 27% Physiotherapy, 14% Occupational Therapy, 6% Speech & Language Therapy and 9% other (doctors, social worker, pharmacist and care needs facilitator).Eighty-eight (90%) HCPs reported being asked nutrition related questions, topics included poor appetite (n=77, 83%), weight loss (n=68, 75%) and constipation (n=66, 72%).Twenty HCPs (21%) reported confidence answering questions, while 28 (29%) reported low confidence. Forty-three (44%) had little or no awareness of available first line information and 37 (39%) rarely or never provided information. Eighty-two (86%) HCPs agreed that nutrition education videos would be used if available. Three themes emerged from the HCPs survey: (i) importance of nutrition for HCPs (ii) barriers to use of first line information and (iii) support systems. Fourteen persons (64% women, 36% men) attended the focus group. Two themes were identified: (i) access to health information and (ii) barriers to access. Discussions included difficulty in proactively seeking information, joined up sharing and that education videos would be beneficial, but the distribution needed consideration. Conclusion Timely access to information is empowering for the older person. HCPs were identified as a resource for seeking nutrition advice. The communication of and access to nutrition information merits consideration. Following these findings, nutrition videos are currently being developed.

Canadian Midwives' Experiences with Nutrition in Their Training and Practice: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Midwives are primary prenatal care providers well-positioned to offer nutrition advice to pregnant individuals; however, no Canadian study has assessed midwives' experience with nutrition education. The objective of this study was to investigate Canadian midwives' experiences with nutrition in their practice, their level of nutrition education, and their recommendations on select nutrition topics. This cross-sectional study used an anonymous online survey consisting of 4 sections: demographics, opinions on the importance of nutrition, nutrition recommendations for pregnancy, and nutrition topics that midwives would like more information on. Responses were recorded using Likert-type scales, multiple choice, or open-ended questions. Eligible participants, registered Canadian midwives, were recruited through advertisements in e-newsletters via national and provincial midwifery associations, social media posts, and emails to midwifery clinics. An independent samples t test compared differences in means for continuous outcomes, the χ2 test compared categorical variables, and the Mann-Whitney U test compared ordinal variables. A P <.05 was considered statistically significant. In total, 161 midwives completed the online survey. Most midwives (92.5%) indicated that nutrition for pregnancy was important, and 83.2% believed their role in providing nutrition information to pregnant women was important. Almost two-thirds (63.8%) of midwives received nutrition education. Comfort levels were highest (median = 4) when providing nutrition advice on healthy eating, weight gain, Listeria, anemia, heartburn, safe food handling, nutrition for breastfeeding, and weight gain for women with obesity. Almost all the midwives (99.4%) had provided nutrition information to pregnant women, and 85.2% of their recommendations aligned with Canadian guidelines and literature. Canadian midwives valued the importance of nutrition during pregnancy and their role in providing nutrition information to pregnant women. The level of comfort in advising on nutrition ranged from uncomfortable to very comfortable depending on the topic, and most (85.2%) of their advice aligned with Canadian guidelines and relevant literature.

Making Healthful Food Choices: University Employee Perception of Nutritional Information on Restaurant Menu

Nutrition-related illnesses continue to pose challenges for healthcare providers and as such, people are encouraged to look into meal constituents, especially in the hospitality industry. This study sought university employees’ general perception of nutritional information on restaurant menus. Data was purposively obtained from employees who patronized restaurants on the university campus. Descriptive statistics and an independent samples t-test were used to analyze the data. Results indicated that respondents had some form of perceived knowledge of nutritional information with calories and cholesterol, reported as the most important information to be provided on menus. There was a statistically significant difference between females and male respondents with females showing a greater positive perceived nutritional knowledge than their male counterparts. University employees had a high perceived expectation of the provision of nutritional information on menus of restaurants on campus. Implications for restaurants on campus to provide nutritional information on menus that can guide healthier food choices and the University’s management involvement in encouraging individuals to develop and maintain better eating habits are also discussed.

Evaluation of nutritional status using the minimum dietary diversity for women of reproductive age (MDD-W) tool in breastfeeding mothers in Madagascar.

Women of reproductive age in low-income countries are especially nutritionally vulnerable given the strain that pregnancy and lactation places on the body. The aim of this study was to identify dietary diversity and its associated factors among mothers with young children. It is a cross-sectional study conducted in Ampefy, Madagascar from 1 November 2022 to 31 March 2023. Dietary diversity was determined using the minimum dietary diversity for women of reproductive age tool. Data were collected through face-to-face interviews using validated structured questionnaires, and anthropometric status was examined. Frequencies and percentages were calculated, and the comparison of variables was performed between mothers with acceptable and unacceptable dietary diversity using the chi-square test for qualitative variables. A logistic regression analysis was also conducted. A total of 437 mothers with young children participated in the study, resulting in a response rate of 95.0%. The mean age of the participants was 25.84 years (SD = 6.30). The study revealed that 32.95% of participants had unacceptable dietary diversity scores and the associated profile included low education, no transport, homebirth not by personal choice, not breastfeeding within the first hour of birth, not breastfeed exclusively for 6 months, no dietary changes during pregnancy or lactation, and no use of folic acid supplements. This study's findings underscore the importance of providing nutrition information to women, in order to improve dietary diversity and overall maternal and child health.

Do Food and Meal Organization Systems in Polish Primary Schools Reflect Students' Preferences and Healthy and Sustainable Dietary Guidelines? The Results of Qualitative Research for the Junior-Edu-Żywienie (JEŻ) Project.

The school environment, together with that of the family, shapes students' eating behaviors, and is an important element of formal and informal nutrition education. The informal and practical dimensions can be realized through the food and meals offered/sold in school canteens, shops, and vending machines. As children and adolescents spend 6-10 h/day in schools and consume at least two meals there, the school food environment is important from a public health perspective. The aim of this study is to assess food and meal organization in primary schools in Poland. The study was conducted using individual in-depth interviews (IDIs) involving 24 school headmasters and 24 representatives of people employed in school canteens or catering companies involved in meal organization in schools. The nutritional food on offer at schools is important for shaping students' food preferences and choices, consequently influencing the development, functioning, and health of this subpopulation. The school environment can be an ideal place for hands-on nutrition education. In addition to the knowledge provided, there must be a consistent message concerning the provision of nutrition information to students between the teachings of parents, teachers, and, indirectly, the food and meals available at school. Our qualitative study is confirmed by the results of quantitative research to better understand the organization of nutrition and the problems and needs of primary schools in this area.

What adolescents see on Instagram: Content analysis of #intermittentfasting, #keto, and #lowcarb.

To describe popular diet content visible on #intermittentfasting, #keto, and #lowcarb on adolescent social media accounts. An adolescent Instagram profile captured 200 'top' images from three popular diet hashtags (#intermittentfasting, #keto, and #lowcarb) across two timepoints. Images were coded using a pre-determined ontology as food (core or discretionary; common foods/food groups), people (group, individual, before/after), or informative. Descriptive statistics were used to summarise these categories across hashtags. At the time of first data collection, there were 3.8 million #intermittentfasting, 19 million #keto, and 22 million #lowcarb posts on Instagram. At the second timepoint there were 4.3 million #intermittentfasting, 21.5 million #keto, and 24.3 million #lowcarb posts. Images tagged #intermittentfasting were categorised as 44% food, 39% people, 10% information; #keto were 64% food, 28% people, 5% information; and #lowcarb were 69% food, 14% people, 16% information. Food images mostly depicted animal proteins (58.6% of #intermittentfasting; 62.9% of #keto; and 40.1% of #lowcarb). Images of people were individual (44%) or before/after (39%); mostly female (77%), of white (53%) ethnicity. Across all posts, 12.5% were linked to a commercial product/program, and 2.3% provided nutrition information. Diet-related images visible when adolescents search #intermittentfasting, #keto, and #lowcarb on Instagram promote animal-based foods with or without vegetables. These diet hashtags on Instagram do not provide nutrition information and are not helpful for young people searching for diet information online.

The influence of cognitive bias on the use of menu nutritional information among consumers in Mahikeng city, South Africa

Previous studies have found that the provision of nutritional information on restaurant menus has had a disparate effect on consumers in various countries. Numerous explanations have been offered to rationalise consumers' failure to incorporate new information during decision-making in developed countries and not much information is availed in the developing world. This study investigates the effect of nutritional information provision on consumers in South Africa, a country that is experiencing an increase in the consumption of food-away-from-home and lifestyle-related diseases similar to some developed countries. The study utilised the Endogenous Treatment Poisson regression model to compare the changes in intended behaviour before and after the provision of nutritional information on typical fast-food meals. The empirical results show that the provision of nutritional information had a significant influence on intended consumption behaviour. However, consumers’ cognitive biases with regard to the level of importance of the different nutrient-content information resulted in the over-reliance on calorie information and negligence of sodium and fat content information. These results imply that efforts to encourage healthier food choices by increasing information can be curtailed by cognitive biases. Hence, the study recommends that efforts be made to improve consumer education on how to integrate various nutritional-content information in decision-making. Furthermore, additional research on the best ways to relay nutritional information is recommended.

The Development and Potential of a Digital out of Home Food Environment Monitoring Platform.

The rapidly growing field of digital meal delivery platforms has transformed the out of home (OOH) food environment, presenting both opportunities and challenges for public health. This paper introduces the development and potential of a novel digital platform designed for monitoring the OOH food environment. Drawing on publicly available data from meal delivery applications, this platform provides valuable insights into the landscape of digital food offerings, such as the most common restaurants per region, average caloric content per meal type, and energy value per monetary unit. This research addresses the current void in regulations for this digital environment, particularly around food labeling and provision of nutrition information. Even though the platform has significantly improved our understanding of the digital food ecosystem, it highlights gaps, primarily due to the lack of publicly available individual data and inconsistencies in provided information. Despite these challenges, the proposed digital platform holds considerable promise for better understanding the digital food environment, supporting healthier food choices, and informing future policy interventions aimed at regulating the online food environment. This research advocates for mandatory regulations in the digital food sector to ensure comprehensive, comparable, and transparent nutrition information and equality in access to nutritious foods.

Perceptions and Experiences of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Participants Related to Receiving Food and Nutrition-Related Text Messages Sent Agency-Wide: Findings from Focus Groups in San Diego County, California.

We developed and sent a series of five monthly text messages promoting fruit and vegetable consumption to approximately 170,000 SNAP participants in San Diego County, California. The text messages, which were sent in English and Spanish, included links to a dedicated bilingual website offering additional information, including how to select, store, and prepare seasonal fruits and vegetables, health benefits of different fruits and vegetables, recipes, and tips to reduce food waste. To our knowledge, this represents the first instance of a SNAP agency providing nutrition information directly to SNAP participants. We conducted seven focus groups (four in English and three in Spanish) with a convenience sample of twenty-six text message recipients, to elicit their perceptions of this intervention, self-reported behavior changes, and recommendations for moving forward. Respondents reported overwhelmingly positive perceptions of this effort, including increased intake of fruits and vegetables, and trying new fruits and vegetables. Participants also reported improved perceptions of SNAP. Virtually all would like this effort to continue, and many would like to receive the messages more frequently than once a month. This effort represents a relatively low-cost approach that SNAP agencies can implement to provide SNAP participants with food and nutrition information that can help them to improve their diets, optimize their food dollars, and enhance their feelings of well-being related to participating in the program.

Breast Cancer Patients' Preferred Source and Timing of Nutrition Information.

It is important that breast cancer patients know where they can access evidence-based nutrition information because misinformation may lead to confusion for patients regarding dietary requirements, as well as potentially causing harm to health. There are gaps in knowledge about where and when patients seek nutrition information. Our exploratory study used telephone interviews to investigate where patients with breast cancer obtained nutrition information pre and postdiagnosis, and their preferred sources and timing for receiving nutrition information. We interviewed 29 women diagnosed with breast cancer who had attended the Cross Cancer Institute in Edmonton, Alberta. The structured interview included 13 closed-ended questions and 1 open-ended question. Interviews revealed that motives for seeking nutrition information changed between pre and postdiagnosis, but the sources did not. The majority of participants did not access a registered dietitian (RD) postdiagnosis but did specify that meeting with a RD would be their preferred source of information. Responses varied for the preferred sources and timing of nutrition information provision. Our study suggests that further research is necessary to know how to best meet the nutrition information needs of patients diagnosed with breast cancer.

'We work in silos': Exploring clinicians' perspectives on the dietary management of coronary heart disease and type 2 diabetes in an Australian public hospital and community health service.

This study explored clinicians' perspectives on roles, practices and service delivery in the dietary management of coronary heart disease and type 2 diabetes in a public health service. Semi-structured individual interviews were conducted with 57 clinicians (21 nurses, 19 doctors, 13 dietitians and 4 physiotherapists) involved in the care of relevant patients across hospital and post-acute community settings in a metropolitan health service in Australia. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim and analysed using inductive thematic analysis. A total of 3 themes with 10 subthemes were identified. (a) 'Treatment prioritisation': important role of nutrition in risk factor management; competing priorities with complex patients; weight loss as a priority; and dietitians individualise. (b) 'Diverse roles in providing diet advice': a tension between nutrients, restrictions and diet quality; patients seek and trust advice from non-dietitians; and providing nutrition information materials crosses professions. (c) 'Dietitian access': variable integration and resourcing; access governed by clinician discretion and perceived patient interest; and bespoke application of referral pathways. Time and resource constraints, variable access and referral to dietitians, and inconsistent advice were key challenges in the dietary management of coronary heart disease and type 2 diabetes. Models of care may be improved with greater investment and integration of dietitians, including to provide professional support across disciplines and disease specialties.

Weight-normative messaging predominates on TikTok-A qualitative content analysis.

Tiktok is a social media platform with many adolescent and young adult users. Food, nutrition, and weight-related posts are popular on TikTok, yet there is little understanding of the content of these posts, and whether nutrition-related content is presented by experts. The objective was to identify key themes in food, nutrition, and weight-related posts on TikTok. 1000 TikTok videos from 10 popular nutrition, food, and weight-related hashtags each with over 1 billion views were downloaded and analyzed using template analysis. The one-hundred most viewed videos were downloaded from each of the ten chosen hashtags. Two coders then coded each video for key themes. Key themes included the glorification of weight loss in many posts, the positioning of food to achieve health and thinness, and the lack of expert voices providing nutrition information. The majority of posts presented a weight-normative view of health, with less than 3% coded as weight-inclusive. Most posts were created by white, female adolescents and young adults. Nutrition-related content on TikTok is largely weight normative, and may contribute to disordered eating behaviors and body dissatisfaction in the young people that are TikTok's predominant users. Helping users discern credible nutrition information, and eliminate triggering content from their social media feeds may be strategies to address the weight-normative social media content that is so prevalent.

Cross-Sectional Nutritional Information and Quality of Canadian Chain Restaurant Menu Items in 2020

More than 50% of Canadians report regularly eating foods prepared at restaurants. The literature shows poor nutritional quality of restaurant foods. No federal policy on improving the nutritional quality of restaurant food is available except for a provincial regulation that mandates Ontario chain restaurants to display the energy content of items on menus. There is limited information on the nutrition information reporting and nutritional quality of restaurant foods. This study aimed to examine the nutrition information reporting and nutritional quality of menu items of Canadian chain restaurants in 2020. Nutrition information for menu items (n=18,760) was collected and analyzed from Canadian restaurants with ≥20 outlets nationally between 2020 and 2021. Menu items were categorized into 5 categories. Descriptive statistics were calculated for serving size, energy, and saturated fat, sodium, and sugar. Percentage daily values of energy and nutrient levels were calculated following the Canadian labeling guidelines. Of the 201 eligible chain restaurants, 141 (70%) provided some nutrition information, of which 70 (50%) voluntarily provided the complete nutrition information that is required on prepackaged foods. Overall, menu items were high per serving in energy (mean kcal=483; 95% CI=477, 489), saturated fat (mean=7.4 g; 95% CI=7.2, 7.5), sodium (mean=867 mg; 95% CI=853, 881), and total sugars (mean=17 g; 95% CI=17, 17), and all exceeded the recommended 15% percentage daily values threshold. Although most chain restaurants provided nutrition information, the lack of regulations regarding reporting format and provision of serving size and other nutrients challenges the assessment of the nutritional quality of menu items. Interventions to standardize nutrition information reporting and improve nutritional quality are needed in the restaurant sector.

A qualitative comparison of the nutrition care experiences of carers supporting patients with head and neck cancer throughout surgery and radiation treatment and survivorship

PurposeTo understand and compare the nutrition care experiences of carers supporting patients throughout surgery and radiation treatment for head and neck cancer (HNC) to inform changes to service delivery in the inpatient and outpatient setting to ensure carers needs in their supportive role throughout the treatment and survivorship period are met.MethodsAs part of a larger study, narrative interviews were completed with fourteen carers of patients diagnosed with HNC at 2 weeks, 3 months and 12 months post-treatment completion. Reflexive thematic analysis was used to interpret and understand differences in carer experiences of nutrition care between surgery and radiation treatment.ResultsTwo main themes across each treatment modality were identified: (1) access to information and support from healthcare professionals and (2) adjustment to the physical and psychological impact of treatment.ConclusionThis study highlights the increasing need to ensure carers are included in the provision of nutrition information and support to patients throughout and beyond their treatment trajectory. Having structured support available to patients and carers throughout radiation treatment meant that carer needs were reduced. However, without the opportunity for structured support in the inpatient setting, many carers expressed high care needs in supporting patients in the post-surgical phase.Implications for cancer survivorsProviding carers with access to structured support for nutrition care in the inpatient and outpatient setting can reduce their supportive care needs throughout the treatment and survivorship period.

Information and Decision-Making Power: Explicating the Impact of Information Provision in the Conditional Cash Transfer Program on Food Consumption Share in the Philippines

We studied the impact of distributing nutritional information in the conditional cash transfer program on intrahousehold food expenditure allocation in the Philippines. Using the original randomized controlled trials dataset, which was collected 2 months after a social experiment to teach nutrition information, we found that providing nutrition information improved mothers’ nutrition knowledge, but no significant positive effects were found on the Engel coefficient. However, the provision of information to mothers with greater intrahousehold decision-making power tends to increase the consumption ratio of food. These results imply that not only raising awareness through information provision, but also female leadership and strong decision-making power within the household play an essential role in changing household budget allocations and improving child welfare.

Eating for 2: A Systematic Review of Dutch App Stores for Apps Promoting a Healthy Diet during Pregnancy

ABSTRACTA healthy diet during pregnancy has been associated with beneficial child and maternal health outcomes but is challenging to achieve. Recent technological advances offer new opportunities to support pregnant women in their food choices—for instance, via apps. This is already reflected by a wide availability of pregnancy-related apps, but health care professionals feel unsure about their potential. Therefore, the Dutch Google Play Store and Apple App Store were reviewed to identify existing apps on diet and pregnancy. App quality was assessed using the 1) Mobile App Rating Scale (MARS; i.e., assessing functionality, aesthetics, engagement, information quality), 2) Dutch dietary guidelines for pregnant women, and 3) App Behavior Change Scale (ABACUS). Fifty-seven unique apps were identified with an average star rating of 4.2 ± 0.6 and MARS quality score of 3.2 ± 0.3, indicating a moderate quality. Most apps scored best in terms of functionality and aesthetics (4.0 ± 0.4 and 3.3 ± 0.6), but lowest in terms of engagement (2.5 ± 0.6). Regarding nutrition information provision, most apps were incomplete or deviated from the Dutch guidelines. Folic acid supplementation (91%), hygiene (81%), caffeine (79%), and alcohol (77%) were the most commonly addressed nutrition aspects, whereas licorice (11%), iodine (19%), and soy (18%) were only addressed in a few apps. Moreover, a median of 2 out of 21 ABACUS behavior change items were identified per app, which were predominantly related to the category “knowledge and information.” Thus, despite the abundance of apps supporting a healthy diet during pregnancy in the Dutch app stores, there is an urgent need for apps with complete and scientifically sound dietary information that is supported by effective behavior change techniques.

A Review of Web-Based Nutrition Information in Spanish for Cancer Patients and Survivors.

Nutrition education resources are of interest for cancer patients and survivors throughout the cancer continuum. We examined the web-based nutrition information in Spanish for cancer patients and survivors provided by national cancer organizations (NCOs). The Guide to Internet Resources for Cancer and the membership list of the Union for International Cancer Control were searched to identify the NCOs. The International Patients Decisions Aid Standards (IPDAS) was used to describe the quality of the available information. We identified 20 NCOs that provided nutrition information aimed at a general audience on their websites. Web-based resources of nine NCOs were selected for presentation in this review. Website scores ranged between 20 and 24 in the IPDAS scale (maximum score = 31). The selected NCOs offered reliable and safe information. Healthy eating information for cancer patients and management of side-effects was provided by all websites. Information was more limited for cancer survivors. We recommend that NCOs increase the possibilities for personalized recommendations and interaction with the content by including instrumental tools on their websites.

Towards a Standardized Definition of Medical Nutrition Therapy and Regulatory Reform in Canada.

Various definitions have been proposed to describe Medical Nutrition Therapy (MNT). Broadly, MNT encompasses the provision of nutrition information and advice aimed to prevent, treat, and/or manage health conditions. In Canada, the provision of such information and advice is unregulated, thus allowing anyone to provide MNT services regardless of their education and training. This inevitably poses risks of harm such as the provision of unsafe and/or ineffective nutrition advice as well as delayed evidence-based treatment. Canadian research has further demonstrated that the general public is unable to properly differentiate between regulated, evidence-based nutrition providers (registered dietitians) and those who are unregulated. Therefore, the public is at risk. To reduce nutrition misinformation and ultimately improve the health and well-being of the public, the objective of this paper is, first, to propose a standardized definition of MNT for use across Canada and, second, to propose province- and territory-specific legislative amendments for the regulation of MNT throughout the country. We also present an opposing perspective to the proposed viewpoint. Ultimately, health care regulation across the country requires an overhaul before we expect that nutrition information and advice communicated to the public may be consistently evidence based.

Content Analysis of Online Grocery Retail Policies and Practices Affecting Healthy Food Access

ObjectiveTo describe policies and practices of online grocery retailers that may affect healthy food access, including retailers participating in the US Department of Agriculture's Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Online Purchasing Pilot. DesignCross-sectional, quantitative content analysis of 21 online grocery retail websites from November 2019 to January 2020. Main Outcome MeasuresData collected using a coding instrument capturing the presence of policies and practices related to (1) online purchasing and delivery access; (2) availability of features that allow price comparisons and provide nutrition information; and (3) data privacy. AnalysisDescriptive statistics for features, practices, and policies across online grocery retail websites. ResultsMost retailers (95%) added fees to online orders. Among pilot retailers, 38% added ≥ 3 fees, and 50% required a minimum order > $15. Few retailers (29%) displayed Nutrition Facts Labels on all products, including 50% of pilot retailers. All retailers collected personal information from shoppers and automatically shared data with affiliated companies. Conclusions and ImplicationsHigh fees, limited access to nutrition information on retailer sites, and lack of data privacy are prevalent in online grocery retail settings, including among Online Purchasing Pilot retailers. Online retail practices may perpetuate disparities in healthy food access by discouraging use through fees and making nutritious food choices difficult.

Facilitating Healthy Eating in Latin American Restaurants: Examining Acceptability and Barriers Among Restaurant Owners and Staff

ObjectivesExamine the acceptability and potential barriers for the implementation of healthy eating promoting (HEP) strategies in independently-owned Latin American restaurants (LAR), including the influence of the COVID-19 pandemic.MethodsLAR owners and staff were recruited via social media and community networks across the US. Potential participants completed an online survey (n = 20) on demographic and restaurant characteristics and current HEP strategies. Subsequently, we conducted semi-structured, online interviews with LAR owners and staff (n = 13) to examine attitudes of and barriers to the implementation of HEP strategies. Each verbatim transcript was analyzed by two coders using Dedoose, following an iterative process. Excerpts were rated according to how open respondents were to implement potential strategies (1 = opposed, 2 = neutral, 3 = open).ResultsThe survey revealed that the most common HEP strategies already in place were offering vegetarian options (80%) and seafood (75%). The interviews asked about additional, potential HEP strategies, showing that the highest rated was the provision of nutrition information, with all excerpts rated as “open” (rate = 3). This was followed by increasing healthy options, notably vegetarian dishes (Mean excerpt rate = 2.9 ± 0.3); menu highlights (2.6 ± 0.9); and promotion of healthier options (2.5 ± 0.7). Portion size changes were rated the lowest (1.1 ± 0.3). The results included barriers identified for each strategy, the influence of COVID-19, and alternative strategies identified.ConclusionsLatin communities present higher dietary risk factors for chronic disease, compared to non-Hispanic Whites. LARs are a significant source of dietary intake and have the potential to positively influence eating behaviors but are seldom engaged by public health. This research aimed to bridge this gap, finding common grounds for potential collaborations benefiting both community health and the wellbeing of these important community institutions.Funding SourcesNational Institutes of Health/NHLBI and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.