Receiving Food Assistance Research Articles

PO-MU-MA Emergency food bar: nutritional, microbial, sensorial, and cost analysis

In 2015, 62.6 million women and children received food assistance in emergencies. However, they are usually provided with foods containing sufficient energy rather than a balanced diet. A nutrient-dense emergency food bar (PO-MU-MA) was made from local ingredients: potato (Solanum t.), mung bean (Vigna radiata l.), and malunggay (Moringa o.) to optimize local foods and aimed to evaluate its sensorial acceptability, nutrient content, microbial load, moisture content, and cost analysis. An experimental design was used for the three (3) formulations with 25D consisting of 18g of potato and mung bean flour, 5.15 g of malunggay-infused water, and other ingredients. 99Z and Q2Y have the same ingredients but with potato flour and mung bean flour in different ratios, namely, 27g potato flour and 9g mung bean flour for 99Z and 9g potato flour and 27g mung bean flour in Q2Y. For appearance (color) and aroma, 99Z is the most acceptable. The acceptability in terms of taste is the same. For texture, Q2Y was chosen, as well as for overall acceptability. Nutrient analysis of the most acceptable product formulation showed an energy content of 461 kcal per 100g, sufficient to provide 22% of the Recommended Dietary Allowance for energy. The carbohydrate content per 100g is 56.25g, protein is 8.30g, and fat is 22.6g. For microbial load, yeast and mold are low (40 CFU/g), while E. coli and Salmonella are both negative, making the product safe for consumption. Furthermore, the food bar has a low moisture content (11%). For product costing, it shows that 100g of the product costs PHP 28.36. Generally, the PO-MU-MA Emergency Food Bar is recommended for food and nutrition needs in emergencies.

IMPLEMENTATION OF THE ELDERLY SYMPATHY PROGRAM IN AN EFFORT TO INCREASE THE WELFARE OF THE ELDERLY IN PAMEKASAN DISTRICT

This research uses a descriptive qualitative approach with data collection methods through observation, interviews, and documentation. The aim of this research is to look at the implementation process of the Simpati Elderly Program and the extent to which this program can improve the welfare of the elderly in Pamekasan Regency. The results of this research, if seen from policy implementation, show that the Simpati Elderly program is considered quite good. It's just that this program has shortcomings, such as communication and implementing policies to carry out regular health checks for the elderly. However, recipients of the elderly sympathy program still receive food assistance every day.

Addressing food insecurity in HIV care: perspectives from healthcare and social service providers in New York state

ABSTRACT Ending the HIV epidemic in the United States will require addressing social determinants contributing to poor care engagement among people living with HIV (PLH), such as food insecurity. Food insecurity is associated with poor care engagement among PLH. Yet, few studies have examined the perspectives of healthcare and social services providers on addressing food insecurity in HIV care. Guided by the Social Ecological Model, we conducted semi-structured interviews with 18 providers in New York State to understand barriers and facilitators to addressing food insecurity in HIV care. Thematic analysis illustrated eight themes across various levels of the Social Ecological Model. At the patient-level, providers perceived patients’ feelings of embarrassment, shame, and judgement, and low health literacy as barriers. At the provider-level, challenges included limited time. Facilitators included fostering strong, patient-provider relationships. Barriers at the clinic-level included limited funding, while clinic resources served as facilitators. At the community-level, challenges included intersecting stigmas arising from community norms towards PLH and people who receive food assistance and limited access to healthy food. Findings suggest the need to incorporate their insights into the development of interventions that address food insecurity in HIV care.

Factors Associated With Food Insecurity Among a Community-Based Sample of Older Adults in a North Florida County.

Food insecurity impacts the lives of 7.6 million U.S. adults aged 60 and older and is linked to numerous life challenges. This study examined the nature of food insecurity among community-based participants ≥65 years in a north Florida county and conceptualized food insecurity as encompassing the lack of food and individual adaptability. Thus, food insecurity was measured using three dependent variables: (1) worrying that food would run out, (2) cutting meal size or skipping meals, and (3) food not lasting. Logistic regression revealed that older participants, those with better-perceived health status, and those who were confident that they could find solutions to their problems had lower odds of reporting food insecurity. However, respondents who lived in low-income, low-access zip codes and those who received food assistance were more likely to report food insecurity. To improve outcomes and reduce healthcare disparities, solutions to food insecurity must vary in focus and approach.

Food Assistance and Children’s Bullying: Parental Frustration as a Mediator

This study explored whether parental frustration mediated the association between food assistance and children’s bullying and victimization. The sample (N = 34,579) was obtained from the 2016 National Survey of Children’s Health and included parents and guardians of children, 6 to 17 years old. Caregivers receiving food assistance risk experiencing parental frustration (β = .16, p < .001), which was positively associated with children’s bullying victimization (β = .06, p < .001) and perpetration (β = .03, p < .001). Nurse practitioners play a critical role in providing needed services for children and families of low income who must rely on food assistance.

A food bank supply chain model: Optimizing investments to maximize food assistance

Food banks are initiatives that redistribute food at risk of becoming waste to people that are food insecure in middle- and high-income countries. These initiatives, which have become more prevalent in recent years, face high levels of uncertainty in their supply chain. Inspired by challenges facing the food banks in The Netherlands, this paper describes an optimization model that can assist food bank supply chains with the distribution of an available investment budget in order to increase the number of beneficiaries that can receive food assistance. Strategic investments can be used to tackle shortages in transport, storage, and food donations. The optimization model prioritizes investments that will have the largest positive social impact, which we define as the number of beneficiaries that can be served by the food banks. Furthermore, the model deals with real-world circumstances, such as decentralized organizations, data scarcity, location-specific transport and storage capacities, and strong diversity in food bank operations. The model is applied using real-life data from the food bank supply chain in The Netherlands and the results establish investments that increase capacity and will serve 32% more beneficiaries. The association of Dutch food banks has made practical application of these findings.

Resilience during the COVID-19 pandemic in a vulnerable population receiving food assistance

Resilience is the ability of people to overcome risky situations that compromise their health and that of their families. Therefore, the objective of this research is to determine resilience during the COVID-19 pandemic in a vulnerable population that receives food assistance. The objective of the research is to determine resilience during the COVID-19 pandemic, in a vulnerable population receiving food assistance. It is a quantitative, descriptive, cross-sectional study, with a total population of 366 participants who answered a questionnaire of sociodemographic data and the Connor-Davidson resilience instrument 25. The results show the resilience of the vulnerable population, where 32 (8.7%) have a low resilience, 124 (33.9%) have an average resilience and 210 (60.9%) have a high resilience. In conclusion, activities that foster resilience should be considered, including broad strategies for mental health support during the pandemic in the general population.

Food Insecurity Screening in Safety-Net Clinics in Los Angeles County: Lessons for Post-Pandemic Planning.

Food insecurity is a major public health problem in the United States which was exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. We used a multi-method approach to understand barriers and facilitators to implementing food insecurity screening and referrals at safety net health care clinics in Los Angeles County before the pandemic. In 2018, we surveyed 1013 adult patients across eleven safety-net clinic waiting rooms in Los Angeles County. Descriptive statistics were generated to characterize food insecurity status, attitudes toward receiving food assistance, and use of public assistance programs. Twelve interviews with clinic staff explored effective and sustainable approaches to food insecurity screening and referral. Patients welcomed the opportunity to access food assistance in the clinic setting; 45% preferred discussing food issues directly with the doctor. Missed opportunities to screen for food insecurity and refer patients to food assistance were identified at the clinic level. Barriers to these opportunities included: competing demands on staff and clinic resources, difficulty establishing referral pathways, and doubts surrounding data. Integrating food insecurity assessment in clinical settings requires infrastructure support, staff training, clinic buy-in, and more coordination and oversight from local government, health center entities, and public health agencies.

Social, Resource, and Institution Disruptions and the Evolving Lives of Economically Vulnerable Older Adults: Implications for Policies and Programs in the New Normal

This article focuses on the impact of pandemic-related reorganization on the lived experiences of economically vulnerable older adults receiving food assistance. Thematic analysis of life narrative interviews from ninety older adults suggests three focal types of disruptions produced by policy, program, and system innovations: social, resource, and institutional. For the majority of study participants, modified or reduced social support, increased need for material resources, and changing institutions, programs, and policies have created significant disruptions in their lives at an age when capacity for adaptation is diminished. Understanding the impact of these disruptions is important to inform policies and programs that will emerge in the post-pandemic era. Efforts to protect vulnerable seniors have also decreased opportunities to access channels for communicating their needs.

Out of the labor force due to health reasons? An analysis of the Survey of Income and Program Participation regarding persons with visual impairments.

Persons with visual impairments (VI) have a high nonparticipation rate in the labor force. Information about factors influencing their labor force participation could provide insight into how to increase employment rates. We selected persons with VI from the Survey of Income and Program Participation to investigate factors that differentiate persons out of the labor force (OLF) for chronic health or disability reasons from those employed and those OLF due to other reasons. Persons with VI and OLF for chronic health or disability reasons were more likely to have additional disabilities; have physical, mental, or other health limitations to work; and receive Supplemental Security Income or Social Security Disability Insurance. Compared with those employed, people with VI and OLF for chronic health or disability reasons appear to have multiple characteristics indicating poorer health, lower education attainment, and greater financial insecurity. Compared with those OLF due to other reasons, people with VI and OLF for chronic health or disability reasons were less likely to be female but more likely to receive food assistance and to indicate disadvantaged health status. These results suggest that skills to accommodate vision disability or health conditions are essential to employment or further education, and additional education may expand vocational options. Benefits counseling, encouragement, and careful career planning may assist persons with VI in moving toward financial independence.

Powerlessness, Gratitude, Shame, and Dignity: Emotional Experiences of Food Pantry Clients

ABSTRACT This study explores the emotional aspects of receiving food assistance and how these experiences may affect future assistance seeking. Through interviews with food recipients, our analysis revealed that individuals experience an overwhelming sense of gratitude, but also a sense of powerlessness, and at times a lack of dignity when reaching out for assistance. We explore how individuals directly and indirectly assert their agency to create a positive outcome despite the circumstances. The findings support the importance of accounting for emotions when researching food insecurity because achieving food security takes more than simply providing emergency food.

Understanding the challenges faced by Michigan’s family farmers: race/ethnicity and the impacts of a pandemic

Michigan is a critical agricultural state, and small family farms are a crucial component of the state’s food sector. This paper examines how the race/ethnicity of the family farm owners/operators is related to farm characteristics, financing, and impacts of the pandemic. It compares 75 farms owned/operated solely by Whites and 15 with People of Color owners/operators. The essay examines how farmers finance their farm operations and the challenges they face doing so. The article also explores how the Coronavirus-19 (COVID-19) pandemic affected farming operations, the financial viability of farms, and how farmers responded to the challenges posed by the pandemic. The study found that People of Color farm owners/operators were younger than White farm owners/operators. The People of Color farm owners/operators tended to manage smaller farms for shorter periods than White farm owners/operators. Though two-thirds of the Farmers of Color owned their farms, they were more financially vulnerable than White farm owners/operators. The farmers studied had difficulty obtaining loans to finance their farms. Farmers reported increasing requests from people for food assistance during the pandemic. Farmers responded to the pandemic by participating in government programs such as the Farm to Families Food Box Program that purchased their produce. It allowed farmers to supply emergency food assistance programs with products from their farms. The products went to families receiving food assistance from soup kitchens, food banks, and other community-based nonprofits.

Mother’s Coping strategies toward Food Insecurity during COVID-19 Pandemic: A Review Article

The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted many aspects of the country, including the economy and health care. Food insecurity is increasing, causing harm to children’s nutrition and development. As a result, mother must deal with food insecurity to providing a balanced diet for her children aged 6 to 23 months. This study aims to review the possible mother’s coping strategies used toward food insecurity to maintain child nutrition during the COVID-19 pandemic. To review the literature, the researcher utilized search engine such as PubMed, ScienceDirect, Oxford journal, and British Medical Journal. "COVID-19", "Coping Strategies", “Food Security”, and "Child” were among the keywords chosen by the researcher. After filtering with the several criteria, the 17 articles were reviewed. Based on this paper review, we know that during the COVID19 pandemic, there is a coping strategy that assist mother to maintain their child nutrition. To address the problem of food insecurity, the possible mother’s coping strategy used are adaptive coping strategies such as home-cooked meals, financial support, and receiving food assistance.

Early exposure to animals and childhood body mass index percentile and percentage fat mass

ABSTRACT Introduction A few studies have identified childhood animal exposure as associated with adiposity, but results are inconsistent and differ in timing. Methods We conducted an observational cohort study of children ages 4–8 in the Environmental Influences on Child Health Outcomes [ECHO] study. The main exposure was having a dog in the home and/or regular contact with farm animals during the first year of life. Outcomes of interest were child BMI percentile (adjusted for gender and age) categorized as normal/underweight (<85th percentile), overweight (85th to <95th), and obese (≥95th), and percent fat mass (continuous). Associations were analyzed using multinomial logistic regression and multivariable linear regression, respectively, with and without multiple imputation. Results First-year animal exposure occurred in 245 of 770 (31.8%) children. Children with early animal exposure had 0.53 (95% CI: 0.28, 0.997) times the odds of being in the obese BMI category compared to those exposed to animals after controlling for covariates: maternal pre-pregnancy BMI, race/ethnicity, reported child activity level, receiving food assistance, age child began daycare (<1 year vs 1+), exclusively breastfed x6 months, and NICU admission (n = 721). Children with early animal exposure had, on average, 1.5% (95% CI: −3.0, −0.1) less fat mass than exposed children after adjustment for maternal BMI, race/ethnicity, activity, food assistance, breastfeeding, and maternal education (n = 548). Multiple imputation did not alter either result. Conclusion These results provide evidence that exposure to dogs or farm animals in the first year of life is associated with lower odds of obesity and lower percent fat mass in childhood.

Individual- and household-level factors associated with fruit, vegetable, and dietary fiber adequacy among Native American adults in 6 reservation communities

This study utilized baseline data collected in 2017 from the OPREVENT2 trial, which included 540 Native Americans in six Midwest and Southwest reservation communities. The objective was to identify correlates of fruit, vegetable, and dietary fiber adequacy among participants 18–75 years old who self-identified as the main food purchaser or preparer in their household. Mean daily servings of fruits and vegetables and grams of dietary fiber were quantified based on a 30-day semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire.Participants consumed an average of 0.5 (±0.4) cup-equivalent servings of fruit, 2.5 (±1.8) cup-equivalent servings of vegetables, and 15.5 (±8.9) grams of fiber per day. <2% of the study population met the 2015–2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommendations for fruit consumption, while 12 and 42% met recommendations for dietary fiber and vegetable consumption, respectively.Females had a prevalence ratio 1.4 times greater than males for adequate intakes of vegetables (p = 0.008) and over 6 times greater for dietary fiber (p < 0.001). Participants over the age of 30 were about twice as likely to meet dietary fiber recommendations (p = 0.031) compared to those 30 years and younger. Participants receiving food assistance from the USDA’s Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR) were nearly twice as likely as non-FDPIR recipients to meet recommendations for dietary fiber (p = 0.008).These findings can help guide the development of targeted interventions to improve diet quality; however, further work is needed to understand and address underlying reasons for low fruit consumption in these rural reservation communities.

How well is humanitarian assistance targeted in fragile environments? Evidence from the announcement of a food emergency in Yemen

The amount of assistance delivered during conflict is increasing to support the growing share of the extreme poor living in these settings. However, little is known about how well assistance is targeted, which can have implications for conflict itself. Using a novel data source in Yemen that tracks food assistance, which accounts for the largest share of assistance in the country, we find that the share of households receiving food assistance significantly increased following the U.N. announcement of a food emergency and that the increases were larger in regions identified by the U.N. as being closer to famine. Furthermore, the increases in assistance helped to maintain food access through repeated and strong conflict-related shocks. The results demonstrate that the humanitarian community can rapidly and effectively increase assistance when needed. However, the lack of a stronger and more immediate impact on food access suggests potential improvements to data collection, which could help to better identify households most in need of humanitarian assistance and could help to better identify how food assistance impacts households in humanitarian emergencies.

Diverse Views of Political Empowerment Among Community College Students Who Receive Food Assistance Benefits

This article examines political empowerment related to voting. The profession of social work requires practitioners to consider the social political roots of problems and to work to remediate them through micro and macro interventions, informed by political empowerment. Political empowerment involves having the power, ability, critical awareness, and sense of group identity to take action in order to create change in a political system. Findings from a qualitative study are presented to explore how recipients of food assistance benefits, enrolled in community college make decisions about voting. Data collected provides rich and contextual insight into how the decision to vote or not vote corresponds with an academic understanding of political empowerment and suggests that choosing not to vote may represent a type of political empowerment. Social work interventions related to voting for this population could include reducing stigma around government assistance, voter engagement, and work with systems to recognize the political power of those who are often left out of the process.

Food Security Status, Coping Strategies, and Health of Women’s Welfare Society Beneficiaries in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia: A Facility-Based Study

ABSTRACT This study assessed the food security status of low-income women in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia in addition to their coping strategies, health, and well-being. A cross-sectional study was conducted on 113 women receiving food assistance from a women’s welfare society. Data were collected using in-person structured interviews. Overall, 50% of the women were food-insecure. Compared with food-secure women, food-insecure women were more likely to utilize many coping strategies. The mean score of coping strategies was significantly greater among food-insecure women, than that of food-secure women (21.0 ± 5.35 and 10.2 ± 5.78, respectively; p < .001). Food-insecure women were also more likely to report poor mental and overall health compared to food-secure women (p = .008 and p < .001, respectively). However, there was no significant difference in life satisfaction between both food security groups (p = .260). Low-income women may use several strategies to cope with food insecurity, which may affect mental and overall health. Further research is needed on the effect of food insecurity on health and well-being of low-income groups in Saudi Arabia. Qualitative data are also needed to better understand the reasons of food insecurity and preventing poor health outcomes among disadvantaged populations in Saudi Arabia.

Socioeconomic position is associated with glycemic control in youth and young adults with type 1 diabetes.

Health inequities persist in youth and young adults (YYA) with type 1diabetes in achieving optimal glycemic control. The purpose of this study was to assess the contribution of multiple indicators of social need to these inequities. Two hundred and twenty two YYA withtype 1 diabetes enrolled in the SEARCH Food Insecurity Study in South Carolina and Washington between the years 2013 and 2015 were included. Latent class analysis was used to identify socioeconomic profiles based on household income, parental education, health insurance, household food insecurity, and food assistance. Profiles were evaluated in relation to glycemic control using multivariable linear and logistic regression, with HbA1c > 9%(75 mmol/mol) defined as high-risk glycemic control. Two profiles were identified: a lower socioeconomic profile included YYA whose parents had lower income and/or education, and were more likely to be uninsured, receive food assistance, and be food insecure. A higher socioeconomic profile included YYA whose circumstances were opposite to those in the lower socioeconomic profile. Those with a lower socioeconomic profile were more likely to have high-risk glycemic control relative to those with a higher socioeconomic profile (OR = 2.24, 95%CI = 1.16-4.33). Lower socioeconomic profiles are associated with high-risk glycemic control among YYA with type 1 diabetes. This supports recommendations that care providers of YYA with type 1 diabetes assess individual social needs in tailoring diabetes management plans to the social context of the patient.

Prevalence and Predictors of Overweight and Obesity among Young Children in the Children's Healthy Living Study on Guam.

This study is part of the Children’s Healthy Living program in U.S. Affiliated Pacific region. The objectives were to estimate overweight and obesity (OWOB) prevalence and identify possible related risk factors among ethnic groups in Guam. In 2013, 865 children (2–8 years) were recruited via community-based sampling from select communities in Guam. Children’s demographic and health behavior information; dietary intake; and anthropometric measurements were collected. Logistic regression, odds ratio, t-tests, and chi-square tests were used to determine differences and assess covariates of OWOB. The results indicate that 58% of children were living below the poverty level, 80% were receiving food assistance, and 51% experienced food insecurity. The majority of children surveyed did not meet recommendations for: sleep duration (59.6%), sedentary screen-time (83.11%), or fruit (58.7%) and vegetable (99.1%) intake, and consumed sugar sweetened beverages (SSB) (73.7%). OWOB affected 27.4% of children. Children affected by OWOB in this study were statistically more likely (p = 0.042) to suffer from sleep disturbances (p = 0.042) and consume marginally higher amounts (p value = 0.07) of SSB compared to children with healthy weight. Among Other Micronesians, children from families who considered themselves ‘integrated’ into the culture were 2.05 (CI 0.81–5.20) times more likely to be affected by OWOB. In conclusion, the OWOB prevalence among 2–8-year-olds in Guam was 27.4%; and compared with healthy weight children, children with OWOB were more likely to have educated caregivers and consume more SSBs. Results provide a basis for health promotion and obesity prevention guidance for children in Guam.