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The effect of a Food Stamp Nutrition Education Program on the food insecurity of low‐income women participants
Author(s) -
EicherMiller Heather Ann,
Mason April C.,
Abbott Angela R.,
McCabe George P.,
Boushey Carol J.
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.21.5.a169-a
Subject(s) - food insecurity , food security , food stamp program , nutrition education , environmental health , intervention (counseling) , food stamps , test (biology) , low income , medicine , psychology , gerontology , socioeconomics , economics , agriculture , geography , biology , nursing , market economy , paleontology , archaeology , welfare
Food insecurity is a problem faced by many low‐income Americans. This condition has been associated with decreased nutritional status, sickness, long‐term disease, obesity, and a host of psychological and emotional problems. Food Stamp Nutrition Education (FSNE) was developed to reduce food insecurity by providing education to low‐income participants on food safety, MyPyramid, and economizing food dollars. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of FSNE lessons on improving female head‐of‐household participants' food security. Food security and food insufficiency were measured with the 6‐item U.S. Household Food Security Scale and USDA Food Insufficiency Question, respectively, as a pre and post‐test before and after five weeks. Participants were randomized to an experimental group of 137 that completed five FSNE lessons as an intervention between the pre and post‐test, or a control group of 82 that did not complete FSNE lessons. Results indicated that food insecurity and food insufficiency in the experimental group compared with the control group were significantly improved (t=2.18, df=218, p=0.030, and t=2.12, df=203, p=0.035, respectively). These results suggest that FSNE was successful in improving participant food security and food sufficiency, indicating nutrition education is an appropriate intervention to decrease food insecurity. Purdue University Extension, USDA