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- Genre: Masters Thesis
Description
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) participants have been shown to have worse dietary behaviors compared to eligible non-participants. It is suggested that individuals who self-select into SNAP have unhealthy diets prior to program participation. This study examined the association between low-income adults’ SNAP participation status and dietary behaviors over time. A sample of households from low-income high-minority cities were surveyed at baseline (T1) and 2-4 years later (T2). Analyses were restricted to adults with household income < 200% of the federal poverty line (n=338). Participants were grouped into the four following categories: Long-term (n=171): SNAP participation at T1 and T2; Previous (n=47): SNAP participation at T1 but not T2; Current (n=38): SNAP participation at T2 but not T1; and Never (n=132): no SNAP participation at T1 or T2. Self-reported daily consumption frequency of whole fruits, fruit juice, vegetables, sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs), and snacks were measured through self-reports. To observe dietary differences based on SNAP participation status, T2 behaviors of all groups were compared to those of the Never group. To observe dietary differences prior to SNAP participation, T1 behaviors were compared between Current and Never groups. There were no significant differences in dietary behaviors at T1 (prior to SNAP participation) between Never and Current participants providing no evidence of self-selection of unhealthy households into SNAP. Only marginal differences were found between SNAP participation status and dietary behaviors at T2. Improvements in SNAP participants’ diets may benefit from focusing on policy changes that encourage healthy dietary habits during participation in the program.
ContributorsUehara, Sarah (Author) / Ohri-Vachaspati, Punam (Thesis advisor) / Acciai, Francesco (Thesis advisor) / Ojinnaka, Chinedum (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2023
Description
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Program provide nutritious meals to school-age children. USDA’s Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) is designed to extend the reach of these programs by allowing schools in low-income areas to provide free school meals to all students at no cost to families. CEP has been shown to increase school meal participation, nutritional intake, academic achievement, and attendance in previous research studies. This study aims to examine the impact of long-term CEP participation on student weight outcomes. Nurse-measured height and weight data for school years 2013-14 to 2019-20 were collected from 141 K-12 public schools in four low-income cities. School-level prevalence of obesity was calculated from students’ heights and weights using the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention protocol. CEP participation for each school year was obtained from the state Department of Education. Schools in the sample began participating in CEP at different times yielding varying numbers of years of CEP exposure over the study period. Multivariable analyses examined the relationship between school CEP exposure and the prevalence of obesity, controlling for school-level covariates. Multivariable analyses showed that for every additional year of CEP participation, the school-level prevalence of obesity was 0.4% lower (p=0.018). The regression-adjusted obesity prevalence for schools that never participated in CEP was 28.0%, while the obesity prevalence for schools with 6 years of CEP participation was 25.4%. The lower prevalence of obesity in CEP-participating schools was primarily driven by elementary schools. These results suggest that the benefits of CEP participation can cumulate over time, significantly reducing school-level obesity prevalence over time.
ContributorsDykstra, Tatum Nicole (Author) / Ohri-Vachaspati, Punam (Thesis advisor) / Acciai, Francesco (Committee member) / McCoy, Maureen (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2024