Associations between Changes in Food Acquisition Behaviors, Dietary Intake, and Bodyweight during the COVID-19 Pandemic among Low-Income Parents in California.

COVID-19 disrupted food access, potentially increasing nutritional risk and health inequities. This study aimed to describe and assess associations between changes in food/meal acquisition behaviors and relative changes in dietary intake and bodyweight from before to during the pandemic. Low-income parents (n = 1090) reported these changes by online survey in April-August 2021. Associations were assessed by multinomial logistic regression. Compared to those with no change, those who decreased supermarket shopping had greater odds of decreased fruit and vegetable (FV; OR[95%CI] = 2.4[1.4-4.1]) and increased salty snack intakes (OR[95%CI] = 1.7[1.0-2.8]). Those who decreased farmer's market shopping had greater odds of decreased FV intake (OR[95%CI] = 1.8[1.0-3.1]), increased bodyweight (OR[95%CI] = 1.7[1.1-2.6]), and increased SSB (OR[95%CI] = 1.9[1.1-3.2]) and sweets intakes (OR[95%CI] = 1.8[1.1-2.9]). Those who increased online food ordering had greater odds of increased sweets (OR[95%CI] = 1.7[1.1-2.8]), salty snacks (OR[95%CI] = 1.9[1.2-3.2]), and fast food (OR[95%CI] = 2.0[1.2-3.5]) intakes and bodyweight (OR[95%CI] = 1.8[1.1-2.9]). Those who increased healthy meal preparation had greater odds of increased FV intake (OR[95%CI] = 4.0[2.5-6.5]), decreased SSB (OR[95%CI] = 3.7[2.3-6.0]), sweets (OR[95%CI] = 2.7[1.6-4.4]), salty snacks (OR[95%CI] = 3.0[1.8-5]) and fast food intakes (OR[95%CI] = 2.8[1.7-4.6]) and bodyweight (OR[95%CI] = 2.2[1.2-4.0]). Interventions to address the potentially negative impacts of online food/meal shopping and support healthy home cooking may be needed to improve nutrition-related outcomes and reduce health disparities in the aftermath of the current pandemic and during future emergencies requiring similar restrictions.

Parent perceptions of changes in eating behavior during COVID-19 of school-aged children from Supplemental Assistance Program Education (SNAP-Ed) eligible households in California.

This cross-sectional study examined the associations between parent-reported, perceptions of changes in school-aged children's (ages 5-18) school meal participation, household cooking, fast food consumption, dietary intake, and weight during the COVID-19 pandemic. Respondents with low-income and school-aged children (n = 1040) were enrolled using quota sampling to approximate the distribution of low-income households and race/ethnicity among California residents who completed an on-line questionnaire developed by the authors. Adjusted multinomial models examined associations between parent-reported changes in school meal participation and time spent cooking, with parent-reported changes in child diet and body weight during COVID-19 (from before March 2020 to January-March 2021). During the pandemic, decreased school meal participation was associated with decreased child's fast food intake (OR[95 %CI] = 1.47[1.04-2.07]); conversely, increased school meal participation was associated with increased child's fast food intake (OR[95 %CI] = 1.71[1.09-2.68]). Decreased cooking at home was associated with decreased fruit and vegetable intake (OR[95 %CI] = 2.71[1.62-4.53]), increased sugar-sweetened beverage intake (OR[95 %CI] = 3.83[2.16-6.81]), and increased fast food intake (OR[95 %CI] = 4.09[2.45-6.84]); while increased cooking at home was associated with increased fruit and vegetable (OR[95 %CI] = 2.26[1.59-3.20]), sugar-sweetened beverage (OR[95 %CI] = 1.88[1.20-2.94]), sweets (OR[95 %CI] = 1.46[1.02-2.10]), and salty snack food intake (OR[95 %CI] = 1.87[1.29-2.71]). These parent-reported perceived changes in meal sources during the pandemic for children from low-income California households, and the mixed results in their associations with changes in parent-reported child dietary intake, suggest the need for strengthening policies and programs to support both access to, and healthfulness of, meals from school and home during prolonged school closures.

Latent class analysis identifies a promising combination of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program-Education interventions for improving student cardiorespiratory fitness.

OBJECTIVE: To inform Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Education (SNAP-Ed) and other school-based interventions aiming to improve youth cardiorespiratory fitness, this study aimed to identify which SNAP-Ed school-based physical activity intervention combinations were associated with better student cardiorespiratory fitness. METHODS: This study, utilizing cross-sectional secondary data, included 5th and 7th grade students who attended SNAP-Ed-eligible public schools in California (n = 442,743 students; 4271 schools) and had complete 2016-17 state-mandated fitness test results. Latent class analysis was used to identify underlying school-based intervention combinations. Propensity score methods were used to ensure comparability of intervention and comparison schools, by calculating inverse probability weights. Multilevel models, using those inverse probability weights, assessed the associations between the identified intervention combinations and student cardiorespiratory fitness, as measured by VO2max. The models were adjusted for school-level variables (urbanicity, percent of students eligible for free- or reduced-price meals, total enrollment, and school type), child-level variables (age, gender, and race/ethnicity), and for clustering of students within schools. RESULTS: We found that students attending schools with interventions focusing on comprehensive policy changes along with improving opportunities for physical activity had, on average, 1.17 mL/kg/min (95% CI: 0.72, 1.62) greater VO2max than students attending schools without any intervention. They also had statistically significantly greater VO2max compared to students attending schools with any other type of intervention combination. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that comprehensive school-based physical activity interventions that include policy changes along with improving physical activity opportunities may be the most effective approach for improving fitness and may warrant prioritization in SNAP-Ed efforts.

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Education reductions during COVID-19 may have exacerbated health inequities.

Objective: Describe, and assess disparities in, the changes in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Education (SNAP-Ed) that occurred the year before vs. the year when COVID-19 restrictions were implemented. Design: Observational study comparing reach, intensity, and dose of California Local Health Department (LHD) SNAP-Ed interventions in Federal Fiscal years 2019 and 2020 (FFY19, FFY20). Analysis: Student t-tests determined significance of differences in the number of Direct Education (DE) programs, Policy, Systems and Environmental change (PSE) sites, people reached, and intervention intensity and dose between FFY19 and FFY20 using data reported online by LHDs. Linear regression assessed associations between census tract-level characteristics (urbanicity; percentages of population with income <185% of federal poverty level, under 18 years of age, and belonging to various racial/ethnic groups; and California Healthy Places Index) and changes in number of DE programs, PSE sites, people reached, and intervention dose between FFY19 and FFY20. Results: From FFY19 to FFY20, the number of DE programs, PSE sites, people reached, and census tract-level intervention intensity and dose decreased. Higher census tract poverty, higher proportions of Black and Latino residents, and less healthy neighborhood conditions were associated with greater decreases in some intervention characteristics including PSE sites, PSE reach, DE programs, and DE dose. Conclusions and implications: These reductions in LHD SNAP-Ed interventions indicate reduced access to education and environments that support healthy eating and obesity prevention during a time when this support was especially needed to reduce risk of COVID-19 infection and complications. Disproportionately reduced access, may have worsened health disparities in already-disadvantaged communities. Assuring maintenance of SNAP-Ed interventions, especially in disadvantaged communities, should be a priority during public health emergencies.

The impact of SNAP-Ed interventions on California students' diet and physical activity during COVID-19.

OBJECTIVE: School-based CalFresh Healthy Living (CFHL) (California's SNAP-Ed) interventions adapted to new learning environments necessitated by COVID-19. We examined the impact of these interventions on student diet and physical activity (PA) outcomes. DESIGN: Quasi-experimental, two-group, pre-post. SETTING: California public schools with ≥50 % of students Free and Reduced Price Meal-eligible (nintervention = 47; ncomparison = 17). PARTICIPANTS: Fourth- and fifth-grade students who completed the online Eating and Activity Tool for Students at pre and post (nintervention = 1087; ncomparison = 846 students). RESULTS: Intervention students reported a significantly greater increase in consumption frequency of total fruit (by 0·16 times/d; P = 0·032), driven primarily by a greater increase in 100 % fruit juice (by 0·11 times/d; P = 0·007). Intervention students reported a significantly greater increase in total vegetable consumption frequency (by 0·45 times/d; P < 0·001) than comparison students. Specifically, intervention students reported increased, whereas comparison students reported decreased, consumption frequencies for starchy vegetables (0·05 v. -0·10 times/d, P < 0·001), salad/green vegetables (0·01 v. -0·11 times/d, P = 0·005) and beans (0·04 v. -0·03 times/d, P = 0·025). Consumption frequency of other vegetables decreased in both groups (-0·01 v. -0·09 times/d) but decreased more among comparison students (P = 0·048). No differences in pre-post change in PA outcomes were detected. CONCLUSIONS: Findings suggest that despite COVID-19-related challenges necessitating programme modifications, CFHL interventions played a role in protecting student consumption of fruit and vegetables during the 2020-2021 school year. Therefore, it appears that school-based CFHL interventions can be a viable means of safeguarding student nutrition at a time when access to nutritious food and PA opportunities are hindered.

The California Nutrition Incentive Program: Participants' Perceptions and Associations with Produce Purchases, Consumption, and Food Security.

We examined the associations of a Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) point-of-purchase financial incentive program at farmers' markets with produce purchase, consumption, and food security outcomes. We conducted cross-sectional, interviewer-administered intercept surveys with 325 adult SNAP participants at six incentive programs, five comparison farmers' markets, and nine comparison supermarkets in California in the summer of 2018. The program provided dollar-for-dollar point-of-purchase incentives with $10 or $20 maximum at participating farmers' markets. We measured produce consumption by an NCI screener; food security by the USDA 6-item screener; and program satisfaction with open-ended questions asked of a subsample. The quantitative analysis involved multilevel linear and logistic regression, adjusted for covariates. Qualitative data were coded and analyzed thematically. Shoppers at farmers' markets offering $20 incentives had significantly higher odds of purchasing most of their produce at farmers' markets than shoppers at $10 incentive (3.1, CI: 1.1, 8.7) or comparison markets (8.1, CI 2.2, 29.7). Incentives were not associated with quantitatively measured produce consumption. Each additional incentive dollar was associated with reduced odds of food insecurity (0.987, CI 0.976, 0.999). Participants appreciated the program; supermarket shoppers lacked awareness. Point-of-purchase incentives are appreciated and underutilized. Further understanding of optimal program design for produce consumption and food security impact is needed.

Comparison of Fruit and Vegetable Prices between Farmers' Markets and Supermarkets: Implications for Fruit and Vegetable Incentive Programs for Food Assistance Program Participants.

This cross-sectional study was part of a larger evaluation of a fruit and vegetable (FV) incentive program for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) participants in California. We examined the price differences in FV to explore whether these could help explain a previously observed lack of effect of the incentive program on FV consumption. Differences by type (organic/no-spray or conventional), among a convenience sample of farmers' markets (n = 11) and nearby supermarkets (n = 7), were assessed using Wilcoxon rank-sum tests adjusting for clustering by market. We calculated the cost of market baskets comprising recommended FV servings for a household using median prices to consider the implications of FV price differences for SNAP shoppers who use financial incentives for FV. We found that farmers' markets primarily offered organic FV while supermarkets primarily offered conventionally grown FV. Farmers' market prices tended to be lower than supermarkets for organic FV but higher for conventional FV. Compared to supermarkets, the market basket composed only of organic FV cost USD 16.34 less at farmers' markets, whereas a basket comprised of a mix of conventionally and organically grown FV cost USD 3.68 more. These differences warrant further exploration; FV price and type should be considered in studies aimed at understanding the impact of SNAP financial incentive programs.

Validity and Reliability of a Site-Level Assessment Questionnaire to Assess Nutrition and Physical Activity Practices in Schools.

Background: Schools are an ideal setting for policy, systems, and environmental approaches to obesity prevention. Although school health environment assessments exist for planning purposes, we developed and tested a comprehensive questionnaire that is suitable for both evaluation and planning. Methods: Reliability was measured by comparing data collected by school personnel from low-income elementary schools across California at two time points, an average of 2 months apart (n = 23). To assess convergent validity, school responses were compared with the responses completed by the research team (n = 28). A weighted kappa test statistic and percent agreement were calculated for each question and specific groups of questions (questionnaire section, item topic, and response type). Results: Test/retest reliability of the questionnaire yielded kappa statistics that ranged from -0.14 to 1.00 (interquartile range [IQR] 0.36). Percent agreement for reliability ranged from 34.78 to 100.00 (IQR 21.7). Kappa statistics for validity ranged from -0.14 to 1.00 (IQR 0.44). Percent agreement for validity ranged from 14.29 to 100.00 (IQR 39.2). Based on these findings, the tool was revised. Conclusions: Study findings indicate that the Site-Level Assessment Questionnaire as tested is a reliable and accurate instrument for use in low-income elementary schools. Revisions may have improved the validity and reliability. We therefore recommend either version for use to support low-income schools in their efforts to assess needs, evaluate progress, and create action plans; and to supply high-quality, aggregable data for large-scale analysis. Additional testing is recommended to validate the revised version, increase generalizability, and determine sensitivity to detect change over time.

SNAP-Ed physical activity interventions in low-income schools are associated with greater cardiovascular fitness among 5th and 7th grade students in California.

INTRODUCTION: California's Department of Public Health (CDPH) distributes Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program-Education (SNAP-Ed) funding, known as CalFresh Healthy Living (CFHL) in California, to local health departments to implement school-based physical activity/nutrition interventions. We determined the association between intervention presence/dose and student cardiorespiratory fitness and BMI. METHODS: This cross-sectional, observational study included 5th and 7th grade students with 2016-17 FitnessGram® results who attended SNAP-Ed eligible California schools. Intervention group students attended schools with CDPH-CFHL interventions during October 2015-September 2016 (n = 904 schools; 97,504 students, 49% female); comparison group students attended schools without CDPH-CFHL interventions (n = 3,506 schools; 372,298 students, 49% female). Adjusted multilevel models determined the association between school-level intervention presence/dose and students' cardiorespiratory fitness (estimated VO2max) and BMI z-score, and tested for effect modification by student grade and sex. RESULTS: Students attending intervention schools demonstrated greater VO2max (males: 0.18 mL/kg per min, 95% CI: 0.03, 0.34; females = 0.26 mL/kg per min, 95% CI: 0.13, 0.39) and lower BMI z-scores (males: -0.03, 95% CI: -0.05, -0.02; females = -0.02, 95% CI: -0.04, -0.01) than students in comparison schools. Students in schools with the highest intervention levels demonstrated higher VO2max (0.37 (95% CI: 0.06, 0.16) and 0.22 (95% CI: 0.02, 0.42), respectively), than comparison students, with the strongest associations seen for females and 7th graders. CONCLUSION: On average, students in schools with CDPH-CFHL physical activity interventions demonstrated better cardiorespiratory fitness and slightly lower BMI z-scores than students in comparable schools without such programing. Investment in these interventions may positively impact students' cardiorespiratory health, though further causal investigation is warranted.

Voluntary Kids' Meal Beverage Standards: Are They Sufficient to Ensure Healthier Restaurant Practices and Consumer Choices?

Many quick-service restaurants (QSRs) instituted voluntary kids' meal default beverage standards (standards) between 2013 to 2017. Little is known about impacts of standards on QSR drive-through practices and on customer choices. This study assessed differences in restaurant practices including kids' meal beverages shown on menu boards, offered by cashiers, and selected by customers in QSRs with and without voluntary standards. Observations (n = 111) and customer surveys (n = 84) were conducted in 2018 at QSRs with standards (n = 70) and without (n = 41) in low-income California, U.S. neighborhoods. Kids' meal beverages on menu boards (n = 149) and offered by cashiers (n = 185) at QSRs with and without standards were analyzed using multilevel logistic regression. Significantly more menu boards at QSRs with standards (n = 103) vs. without (n = 46) featured only milk, water or unsweetened juice (65.1% vs. 4.4%; p < 0.001). Most cashiers at QSRs with standards and QSRs without (53.1%, 62.5%) asked what drink the data collector wanted rather than first offering default beverages. A small sample of customer interviews found that customers at QSRs with standards most commonly ordered juice (37.0%); at QSRs without standards, soda (45.5%). Although menu boards showed healthier kids' meal beverages at QSRs with standards than without, cashier behavior was inconsistent. Results suggest additional measures (legislation, implementation support, enforcement) may be needed to ensure optimal implementation.

Community-level obesity prevention is not associated with dieting behaviours and weight dissatisfaction in children: The Healthy Communities Study.

BACKGROUND: Within the context of high childhood obesity prevalence, there is a concern that community efforts intended to reduce childhood obesity may lead to unintended adverse outcomes. OBJECTIVE: This analysis examined relationships between community programs, policies, and environmental changes (CPPs) for obesity prevention with unhealthy dieting behaviours and body weight satisfaction in children. METHODS: Using the Healthy Communities Study 2013 to 2015 survey sample of 5138 US children aged 4 to 15 years old, multilevel models examined associations between standardized CPP intensity scores and child dieting behaviours and weight satisfaction, adjusting for community and child-level covariates and clustered study design. RESULTS: In fully adjusted models, higher total, physical activity, and nutrition CPP intensity scores were associated with lower odds of dissatisfaction with weight (1 year total CPP odds ratio [OR]: 0.41, 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.22-0.73; 6 year total CPP OR: 0.48, 0.29-0.80). Higher physical activity CPP intensity over the past year was associated with greater odds of weight satisfaction (OR: 1.77, 95% CI, 1.10-2.84). No associations were observed with dieting behaviours. CONCLUSIONS: Results suggest that community efforts focusing on nutrition and physical activity to prevent childhood obesity may be associated with weight satisfaction and not with unhealthy dieting behaviours.