Browsing by Author "Tracy, Tara"
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Item Between- and within-Group Differences in Fruit and Vegetable Purchases, Consumption, and BMI among Hispanic Farmers’ Market Shoppers Who Use SNAP(International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 2021-09-21) Sawyer-Morris, Ginnie; Grajeda, Sara; Tracy, Tara; Karpyn, Allison(1) Background: Despite considerable efforts to increase farmers’ market access (FM) and improve household fruit and vegetable (FV) purchasing in low-income communities, little is known about the FV purchasing and consumption characteristics of low-income Hispanic farmers’ market shoppers. (2) Methods: A secondary analysis of baseline data from a farmers’ market study conducted between 2015 and 2017 (n = 2825) was performed. Participants who also received supplemental nutrition assistance program (SNAP) completed a 31-item online survey assessing demographics, health characteristics, and FV purchasing and consumption habits. Descriptive statistics and bivariate analyses were used to assess between- and within-group differences amongst Hispanic and non-Hispanic households. Regression analyses were used to examine associations among BMI, FV purchasing and consumption, and household size for Hispanic and non-Hispanic households as well as for Hispanic subgroups. (3) Results: The sample included 515 Hispanic and 2310 non-Hispanic SNAP-using FM shoppers in 13 states. Despite experiencing significantly higher food insecurity (89% vs. 81%, non-Hispanic), Hispanic shoppers consumed similar amounts of FV (3.04 cups/day) and spent less doing so. Significant subgroup differences were identified for FV purchasing. (4) Conclusions: Findings emphasize the importance of food insecurity and household size in FV interventions and underscore the capacity of Hispanic families to maintain FV consumption.Item Purchases, Consumption, and BMI of SNAP Farmers’ Market Shoppers(Journal of Hunger and Environmental Nutrition, 2021-10-31) Karpyn, Allison; Pon, Julia; Grajeda, Sara Bernice; Wang, Rui; Merritt, Kathryn E.; Tracy, Tara; May, Henry; Sawyer-Morris, Ginnie; Humphrey, Layne; Hunt, AlanPurchasing, consumption, and health data from 3,073 Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Shoppers (SNAP) at 77 U.S. farmers’ markets (FMs) are reported. Descriptive and bivariate analyses indicate SNAP households spent $345/month on all groceries and $153.76/month on all fruit and vegetable (FV) purchases; daily FV consumption significantly correlated with percentage of household expenditures on FV and household FV dollars/month. Females and Hispanics spent significantly more on FV. 82% of participants were food insecure and 26.1% reported fair/poor health. Average BMI was 28.5. Findings suggest SNAP FM shoppers have unique FV expenditure and consumption patterns, despite higher food insecurity, meriting future research.Item Understanding Impacts of SNAP Fruit and Vegetable Incentive Program at Farmers’ Markets: Findings from a 13 State RCT(International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 2022-06-17) Karpyn, Allison; Pon, Julia; Grajeda, Sara B.; Wang, Rui; Merritt, Kathryn E.; Tracy, Tara; May, Henry; Sawyer-Morris, Ginnie; Halverson, McKenna M.; Hunt, AlanDisparities in healthy food access and consumption are a major public health concern. This study reports the findings from a two-year randomized control trial conducted at 77 farmers’ markets (FMs) in 13 states and the District of Columbia that sought to understand the impact of fruit and vegetable (FV) incentive vouchers, randomly issued at varied incentive levels to Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) recipients, for use at FMs. Measures included FV and overall household food purchasing; FV consumption; food insecurity; health status; market expenditure; and demographics. A repeated-measures mixed-effects analysis and the Complier Average Causal Effect (CACE) were used to examine outcomes. Despite 82% reporting food insecurity in the prior year, the findings showed that financial incentives at FMs had statistically significant, positive effects on FV consumption; market expenditures increased with added incentives. SNAP recipients receiving an incentive of USD 0.40 for every USD 1.00 in SNAP spent an average of USD 19.03 per transaction, while those receiving USD 2 for every USD 1 (2:1) spent an average of USD 36.28 per transaction. The data showed that the incentive program at the highest level (2:1) maximally increased SNAP FM expenditure and FV consumption, increasing the latter by 0.31 daily cups among those who used their incentive (CACE model).Item USDA Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) Vendor Criteria: An Examination of US Administrative Agency Variations(International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 2021-03-29) Landry, Matthew J.; Phan, Kim; McGuirt, Jared T.; Ostrander, Alek; Ademu, Lilian; Seibold, Mia; McCallops, Kathleen; Tracy, Tara; Fleischhacker, Sheila E.; Karpyn, AllisonThe food retail environment has been directly linked to disparities in dietary behaviors and may in part explain racial and ethnic disparities in pregnancy-related deaths. The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC), administered by the United States Department of Agriculture, is associated with improved healthy food and beverage access due to its requirement for minimum stock of healthy foods and beverages in WIC-eligible stores. The selection and authorization criteria used to authorize WIC vendors varies widely from state to state with little known about the specific variations. This paper reviews and summarizes the differences across 16 of these criteria enacted by 89 WIC administrative agencies: the 50 states, the District of Columbia, five US Territories, and 33 Indian Tribal Organizations. Vendor selection and authorization criteria varied across WIC agencies without any consistent pattern. The wide variations in criteria and policies raise questions about the rational for inconsistency. Some of these variations, in combination, may result in reduced access to WIC-approved foods and beverages by WIC participants. For example, minimum square footage and/or number of cash register criteria may limit vendors to larger retail operations that are not typically located in high-risk, under-resourced communities where WIC vendors are most needed. Results highlight an opportunity to convene WIC stakeholders to review variations, their rationale, and implications thereof especially as this process could result in improved policies to ensure and improve healthy food and beverage access by WIC participants. More work remains to better understand the value of state WIC vendor authorization authority, particularly in states that have provided stronger monitoring requirements. This work might also examine if and how streamlining WIC vendor criteria (or at least certain components of them) across regional areas or across the country could provide an opportunity to advance interstate commerce and promote an equitable supply of food across the food system, while ensuring the protection for local, community-oriented WIC vendors.