Milken Institute School of Public Health Poster Presentations (Marvin Center & Video)
Greater participation in the Produce Plus healthy food incentive program supports food security
Poster Number
79
Document Type
Poster
Status
Graduate Student - Masters
Abstract Category
Exercise and Nutrition Sciences
Keywords
incentive program, fruits, vegetables, food security
Publication Date
Spring 2018
Abstract
Introduction: The Produce Plus Program (PPP), a farmers’ market-based healthy food incentive program, provides income qualified Washington, DC residents with vouchers worth $10/market/day for fruit and vegetable (F&V) purchases. This study evaluated whether frequency of PPP participation is associated with changes in food security status (FSS) and F&V intake.
Methods: PPP participants were invited to complete a survey which included the NCI Fruit and Vegetable Screener and a modified 6 question USDA Household Food Security Module at markets during the PPP-season (June-September 2016) and again by mail during the off-season (March-April 2017). Chi-square and paired t-tests were used to compare FSS and F&V intake between seasons by high vs low frequency of participation, dichotomized by mean number of vouchers received during the PPP-season among all participants (mean=14).
Results: Eighty-nine PPP participants completed the survey during both seasons. Among the 59 survey participants who received ≥14 vouchers during the PPP-season, those reporting being food secure decreased from 32(54.2%) during the PPP-season to 19(32.2%) during the off-season (p=0.04). Among the 30 survey participants who received <14 vouchers during the PPP-season, with those reporting being food secure decreasing from 17(56.7%) during the PPP-season to 11(36.67%) during the off-season (p=0.86). Among the 59 survey participants who received ≥14 vouchers during the PPP-season, mean reported daily F&V intake decreased from 5.1 servings per day during the PPP-season to 4.19 servings per day during the off-season (p=0.12). Among the 30 survey participants who received <14 vouchers during the PPP-season, mean reported daily F&V intake decreased from 5.9 servings per day during the PPP-season to 4.4 servings per day during the off-season (p=0.34).
Discussion: Greater participation in the PPP appears to support FSS, but does not alter F&V intake. Lack of change in F&V intake may be because the program attracts participants who already prefer F&V, consistent with our previous findings that PPP participants reported higher median F&V intake compared with local Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance Survey respondents with similar incomes.
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License.
Open Access
1
Greater participation in the Produce Plus healthy food incentive program supports food security
Introduction: The Produce Plus Program (PPP), a farmers’ market-based healthy food incentive program, provides income qualified Washington, DC residents with vouchers worth $10/market/day for fruit and vegetable (F&V) purchases. This study evaluated whether frequency of PPP participation is associated with changes in food security status (FSS) and F&V intake.
Methods: PPP participants were invited to complete a survey which included the NCI Fruit and Vegetable Screener and a modified 6 question USDA Household Food Security Module at markets during the PPP-season (June-September 2016) and again by mail during the off-season (March-April 2017). Chi-square and paired t-tests were used to compare FSS and F&V intake between seasons by high vs low frequency of participation, dichotomized by mean number of vouchers received during the PPP-season among all participants (mean=14).
Results: Eighty-nine PPP participants completed the survey during both seasons. Among the 59 survey participants who received ≥14 vouchers during the PPP-season, those reporting being food secure decreased from 32(54.2%) during the PPP-season to 19(32.2%) during the off-season (p=0.04). Among the 30 survey participants who received <14 vouchers during the>PPP-season, with those reporting being food secure decreasing from 17(56.7%) during the PPP-season to 11(36.67%) during the off-season (p=0.86). Among the 59 survey participants who received ≥14 vouchers during the PPP-season, mean reported daily F&V intake decreased from 5.1 servings per day during the PPP-season to 4.19 servings per day during the off-season (p=0.12). Among the 30 survey participants who received <14 vouchers during the>PPP-season, mean reported daily F&V intake decreased from 5.9 servings per day during the PPP-season to 4.4 servings per day during the off-season (p=0.34).
Discussion: Greater participation in the PPP appears to support FSS, but does not alter F&V intake. Lack of change in F&V intake may be because the program attracts participants who already prefer F&V, consistent with our previous findings that PPP participants reported higher median F&V intake compared with local Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance Survey respondents with similar incomes.