Web-Based Tool Designed to Encourage Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Use in Urban College Students: Usability Testing Study.

BACKGROUND: Food insecurity continues to be a risk for college students in the United States. It is associated with numerous problems, such as chronic health conditions, increased stress and anxiety, and a lower grade point average. After COVID-19, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits were extended to college-aged students; however, there were some barriers to participation, which persisted such as lack of perceived food insecurity risk, lack of knowledge regarding the SNAP application process, the complexity of determining eligibility, and stigma associated with needing social assistance. A technology-enhanced tool was developed to address these barriers to SNAP enrollment and encourage at-risk college students to apply for SNAP. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to test the usability and acceptability of a web-based SNAP screening tool designed for college-aged students. METHODS: College students aged 18-25 years were recruited to participate in 2 rounds of usability testing during fall 2022. Participants tested the prototype of a web-based SNAP screener tool using a standardized think-aloud method. The usability and acceptability of the tool were assessed using a semistructured interview and a 10-item validated System Usability Scale questionnaire. Audio recordings and field notes were systematically reviewed by extracting and sorting feedback as positive or negative comments. System Usability Scale questionnaire data were analyzed using the Wilcoxon signed rank test and sign test. RESULTS: A total of 12 students (mean age 21.8, SD 2.8 years; n=6, 50% undergraduate; n=11, 92% female; n=7, 58% Hispanic or Black or African American; n=9, 78% low or very low food security) participated in both rounds of user testing. Round 1 testing highlighted overall positive experiences with the tool, with most participants (10/12) stating that the website fulfills its primary objective as a support tool to encourage college students to apply for SNAP. However, issues related to user interface design, navigation, and wording of some questions in the screening tool were noted. Key changes after round 1 reflected these concerns, including improved design of response buttons and tool logo and improved clarity of screening questions. The overall system usability showed slight, but not statistically significant, improvement between round 1 and round 2 (91.25 vs 92.50; P=.10, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Overall usability findings suggest that this web-based tool was highly usable and acceptable to urban college students and could be an effective and appealing approach as a support tool to introduce college students to the SNAP application process. The findings from this study will inform further development of the tool, which could eventually be disseminated publicly among various college campuses.

Food Purchasing Behavior of Predominantly Minority Families in an Urban Supermarket Voucher Pilot Program.

The objective of this exploratory community-based trial was to examine the usage and behavior of underserved urban residents participating in a 2-month food voucher program. $70 supermarket vouchers were provided each month for 2 months to participants enrolled in selected child daycare centers in East Harlem, New York, and receipts were collected to examine purchases. Participants were from low-income households with at least 1 child 5 years and younger (n = 113). Participants spent the most on meat, fish, poultry, and eggs (29.7%); fruits and vegetables (15.9%); and cereal and bakery products (15.1%). Fruit and vegetable purchases and dairy purchases were higher in foreign-born participants than in US-born participants. Furthermore, future models should consider the potential benefit of unrestricted vouchers in supporting differences in dietary needs and preferences.

Feasibility and Reliability of the System for Observing Play and Leisure Activity in Youth (SOPLAY) for Measuring Moderate to Vigorous Physical Activity in Children Visiting an Interactive Children's Museum Exhibition.

PURPOSE: To test the feasibility and reliability of a direct observation method for measuring moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) in children visiting an interactive children's museum exhibition. DESIGN: Direct observation was used to assess MVPA in children visiting an interactive children's museum exhibition on 2 weekend days in winter 2013. SETTING: The Children's Museum of Manhattan's EatSleepPlay™: Building Health Every Day exhibition. PARTICIPANTS: Children (group level) visiting the museum exhibition. MEASURES: System for Observing Play and Leisure Activity in Youth (SOPLAY). ANALYSES: Interobserver reliability was analyzed for MVPA and activity type. Two-group analyses were conducted using a series of Wilcoxon rank sum tests. RESULTS: A total of 545 children were observed over 288 observations. No significant differences were found between observers for MVPA ( r = .91, P = .6804) or activity type (κ = .90, P = .6334). Children participated in MVPA during 35.2% of all observations. No significant differences were found for participation in MVPA between boys (37.6%) and girls (32.8%, P = .1589). CONCLUSION: The SOPLAY may be a useful tool for measuring MVPA in interactive children's museum exhibitions. Research with multiple museum settings and diverse groups of children over longer periods of time is warranted to further establish the feasibility and reliability of the SOPLAY for measuring MVPA in this novel setting.

The effect of menu labeling with calories and exercise equivalents on food selection and consumption.

BACKGROUND: Better techniques are needed to help consumers make lower calorie food choices. This pilot study examined the effect of menu labeling with caloric information and exercise equivalents (EE) on food selection. Participants, 62 females, ages 18-34, recruited for this study, ordered a fast food meal with menus that contained the names of the food (Lunch 1 (L1), control meal). One week later (Lunch 2 (L2), experiment meal), participants ordered a meal from one of three menus with the same items as the previous week: no calorie information, calorie information only, or calorie information and EE. RESULTS: There were no absolute differences between groups in calories ordered from L1 to L2. However, it is noteworthy that calorie only and calorie plus exercise equivalents ordered about 16% (206 kcal) and 14% (162 kcal) fewer calories from Lunch 1 to Lunch 2, respectively; whereas, the no information group ordered only 2% (25 kcal) fewer. CONCLUSIONS: Menu labeling alone may be insufficient to reduce calories; however, further research is needed in finding the most effective ways of presenting the menu labels for general public.