Milken Institute School of Public Health Poster Presentations (Marvin Center & Video)

Evaluating Fruit and Vegetable Intake Among Farmers' Market Incentive Participants in DC

Poster Number

54

Document Type

Poster

Publication Date

3-2016

Abstract

Introduction: The Produce Plus program offered by the District of Columbia (DC) Department of Health provides $10 per family/market/week to participants of federal financial and nutrition assistance programs to spend on fresh fruit and vegetables (F&V) at farmers’ markets. The objective of this study was to determine whether F&V intake among Produce Plus participants differs from that of the average DC population.

Methods: Using a cross-sectional survey, program participants were interviewed at markets across DC between June and September 2015. Questions included the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) F&V module which assesses F&V intake over the previous month. Participants’ F&V intake was compared to 2013 DC BRFSS F&V data.

Results: A total of 288 Produce Plus participants were surveyed; results are presented here as median (interquartile range). Compared to 2013 DC BRFSS data for individuals reporting annual household incomes of <$35,000, Produce Plus participants reported higher fruit (2.0(1.0-3.0) vs. 1.0(0.4-2.0) times/day) and vegetable (2.0(1.3-3.5) vs. 1.4(0.8-2.3) times/day) intake compared to BRFSS respondents with similar household incomes. Produce Plus participants reported higher fruit intake as the season progressed and they were more likely to have previously received program benefits (June: 1.4(1.0-2.4) vs. August/September: 2.0(1.0-3.0) times/day). Vegetable intake stayed constant throughout the season (June: 2.1(1.5-3.2) vs. August/September: 2.1(1.3-3.8) times/day).

Discussion: Participants in the Produce Plus program reported higher F&V intake compared to DC BRFSS respondents with similar incomes, but still below recommended levels. A prospective study is planned to more fully assess whether the Produce Plus program increases participants’ F&V intake.

Creative Commons License

Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License.

Open Access

1

Comments

Presented at: GW Research Days 2016

This document is currently not available here.

Share

COinS
 

Evaluating Fruit and Vegetable Intake Among Farmers' Market Incentive Participants in DC

Introduction: The Produce Plus program offered by the District of Columbia (DC) Department of Health provides $10 per family/market/week to participants of federal financial and nutrition assistance programs to spend on fresh fruit and vegetables (F&V) at farmers’ markets. The objective of this study was to determine whether F&V intake among Produce Plus participants differs from that of the average DC population.

Methods: Using a cross-sectional survey, program participants were interviewed at markets across DC between June and September 2015. Questions included the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) F&V module which assesses F&V intake over the previous month. Participants’ F&V intake was compared to 2013 DC BRFSS F&V data.

Results: A total of 288 Produce Plus participants were surveyed; results are presented here as median (interquartile range). Compared to 2013 DC BRFSS data for individuals reporting annual household incomes of <$35,000, Produce Plus participants reported higher fruit (2.0(1.0-3.0) vs. 1.0(0.4-2.0) times/day) and vegetable (2.0(1.3-3.5) vs. 1.4(0.8-2.3) times/day) intake compared to BRFSS respondents with similar household incomes. Produce Plus participants reported higher fruit intake as the season progressed and they were more likely to have previously received program benefits (June: 1.4(1.0-2.4) vs. August/September: 2.0(1.0-3.0) times/day). Vegetable intake stayed constant throughout the season (June: 2.1(1.5-3.2) vs. August/September: 2.1(1.3-3.8) times/day).

Discussion: Participants in the Produce Plus program reported higher F&V intake compared to DC BRFSS respondents with similar incomes, but still below recommended levels. A prospective study is planned to more fully assess whether the Produce Plus program increases participants’ F&V intake.