Predictors of Farmers’ Market Shopping among People Receiving Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Benefits

2018 ◽  
Vol 61 (3-4) ◽  
pp. 488-499 ◽  
Author(s):  
Darcy A. Freedman ◽  
Eunlye Lee ◽  
Punam Ohri-Vachaspati ◽  
Erika Trapl ◽  
Elaine Borawski ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program ◽  
Supplemental Nutrition ◽  
Assistance Program ◽  
Farmers Market ◽  
Program Benefits ◽  
Nutrition Assistance

scholarly journals Farmers’ market shopping and dietary behaviours among Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program participants

2015 ◽  
Vol 18 (13) ◽  
pp. 2407-2414 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephanie B Jilcott Pitts ◽  
Qiang Wu ◽  
Chelsea L Demarest ◽  
Crystal E Dixon ◽  
Ciarra JM Dortche ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Diet Quality ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program ◽  
Farmers Markets ◽  
Supplemental Nutrition ◽  
Assistance Program ◽  
Farmers Market ◽  
Dietary Behaviours ◽  
Nutrition Assistance ◽  
Low Income Consumers

AbstractObjectiveBecause farmers’ markets include a variety of fruits and vegetables, shopping at farmers’ markets would likely improve diet quality among low-income consumers, as well as promote sustainable direct farm-to-consumer business models. However, not much is known about how to promote farmers’ market shopping among low-income consumers. Therefore, the purpose of the present paper was to examine barriers to and facilitators of shopping at farmers’ markets and associations between shopping at farmers’ markets and self-reported dietary behaviours (fruit and vegetable, sugar-sweetened beverage and fast-food consumption) and BMI.DesignCross-sectional analyses of associations between farmers’ market shopping frequency, awareness of markets, access to markets, dietary behaviours and BMI.SettingDepartment of Social Services, Pitt County, eastern North Carolina, USA.SubjectsBetween April and July 2013, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) participants (n205) completed a quantitative survey.ResultsBarriers to shopping at farmers’ markets included does not accept SNAP/electronic benefit transfer, out of the way and lack of transportation. Farmers’ market shopping was associated with awareness of farmers’ markets (estimate =0·18 (se0·04),P<0·001). Fruit and vegetable consumption was positively associated with farmers’ market shopping (estimate =1·06 (se0·32),P=0·001).ConclusionsOur study is one of the first to examine SNAP participants’ farmers’ market shopping, distance to farmers’ markets and dietary behaviours. Barriers to shopping at farmers’ markets and increasing awareness of existing markets should be addressed in future interventions to increase SNAP participants’ use of farmers’ markets, ultimately improving diet quality in this high-risk group.

scholarly journals Farmers' Market Utilization among Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Recipients in New Orleans, Louisiana: Preliminary Findings

2017 ◽  
Vol 27 (Suppl 1) ◽  
pp. 295
Author(s):  
Henry Nuss ◽  
Meg Skizim ◽  
Hasheemah Afaneh ◽  
Lucio Miele ◽  
Melinda Sothern
Keyword(s):  
Low Income ◽  
Internet Use ◽  
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program ◽  
Farmers Markets ◽  
Grocery Stores ◽  
Supplemental Nutrition ◽  
Assistance Program ◽  
Farmers Market ◽  
Transfer Payments ◽  
Nutrition Assistance

<p class="Pa7"><strong>Objective: </strong>Farmers’ markets are increas­ingly being promoted as a means to provide fresh produce to poor and underserved communities. However, farmers’ market (FM) use remains low among low-income patrons. The purpose of our study was to examine FM awareness and use, grocery shopping behaviors, and internet use among Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) recipients.</p><p class="Pa7"><strong>Design: </strong>A descriptive analysis of preliminary data was performed to evaluate quantita­tive baseline data among SNAP recipients between June and August 2016 in New Or­leans, Louisiana (N=51). Data were collected via a 42-item online survey that included demographics, internet use, FM awareness and use, health information seeking behaviors and fruit and vegetable purchasing behaviors.</p><p class="Pa7"><strong>Results: </strong>Less than half of the survey respondents (n=24) had ever been to a FM. Local grocery stores and Wal-Mart were most used for purchasing fruits and vegetables (88% and 84%, respectively). The most common sources of healthy eat­ing information were Women, Infants and Children (WIC) and the internet, frequently accessed via smartphones. More than 80% of participants were not aware that local FMs accepted electronic benefit transfer payments as a form of payment.</p><p class="Pa7"><strong>Conclusion: </strong>These results support the incorporation of promotional methodol­ogy that combines internet-based mobile technology and existing services (eg, WIC) as a viable strategy to improve farmers’ market use among low-income populations. As most participants were not aware that participating FMs accept electronic ben­efit transfer payments, this fact should be emphasized in promotional material.</p><p class="Pa7">Ethn Dis. 2017;27(Suppl 1):295-302; doi:10.18865/ed.27.S1.295.</p>

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