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A Multi-Pronged Evaluation of a Healthy Food Access Initiative in Central Texas: Study Design, Methods, and Baseline Findings of the FRESH-Austin Evaluation Study.
Janda, Kathryn M; Ranjit, Nalini; Salvo, Deborah; Nielsen, Aida; Akhavan, Nika; Diaz, Martha; Lemoine, Pablo; Casnovsky, Joy; van den Berg, Alexandra.
  • Janda KM; UTHealth School of Public Health, Austin, TX 78701, USA.
  • Ranjit N; Michael and Susan Dell Center for Healthy Living, Austin, TX 78701, USA.
  • Salvo D; UTHealth School of Public Health, Austin, TX 78701, USA.
  • Nielsen A; Michael and Susan Dell Center for Healthy Living, Austin, TX 78701, USA.
  • Akhavan N; Prevention Research Center, Brown School, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63130, USA.
  • Diaz M; UTHealth School of Public Health, Austin, TX 78701, USA.
  • Lemoine P; Michael and Susan Dell Center for Healthy Living, Austin, TX 78701, USA.
  • Casnovsky J; UTHealth School of Public Health, Austin, TX 78701, USA.
  • van den Berg A; Michael and Susan Dell Center for Healthy Living, Austin, TX 78701, USA.
Int J Environ Res Public Health ; 18(20)2021 10 15.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-1480727
ABSTRACT
Food insecurity and limited healthy food access are complex public health issues and warrant multi-level evaluations. The purpose of this paper was to present the overall study design and baseline results of the multi-pronged evaluation of a healthy food access (i.e., Fresh for Less (FFL)) initiative in Central Texas. The 2018-2021 FRESH-Austin study was a natural experiment that utilized a cluster random sampling strategy to recruit three groups of participants (total n = 400) (1) customers at FFL assets, (2) residents that lived within 1.5 miles of an FFL asset, and (3) residents from a comparison community. Evaluation measures included annual cohort surveys, accelerometers and GPS devices, store-level audits, and built environment assessments. Data are being used to inform and validate an agent-based model (ABM) to predict food shopping and consumption behaviors. Sociodemographic factors and food shopping and consumption behaviors were similar across the three groups; however, customers recruited at FFL assets were lower income and had a higher prevalence of food insecurity. The baseline findings demonstrate the need for multi-level food access interventions, such as FFL, in low-income communities. In the future, ABM can be used as a cost-effective way to determine potential impacts of future large-scale food environment programs and policies.
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Full text: Available Collection: International databases Database: MEDLINE Main subject: Poverty / Food Supply Type of study: Cohort study / Experimental Studies / Observational study / Prognostic study / Randomized controlled trials Limits: Humans Country/Region as subject: North America Language: English Year: 2021 Document Type: Article Affiliation country: Ijerph182010834

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Full text: Available Collection: International databases Database: MEDLINE Main subject: Poverty / Food Supply Type of study: Cohort study / Experimental Studies / Observational study / Prognostic study / Randomized controlled trials Limits: Humans Country/Region as subject: North America Language: English Year: 2021 Document Type: Article Affiliation country: Ijerph182010834