Determining Forms of Expressions of Food Violence in Venezuela

In the present investigation, the existence of various forms of expression of food violence in Venezuela was determined, through the measurement of contextualized variables within the established classification. The existence and aggravation of forms of economic expression of food violence were determined, with a relative improvement in food availability but an increase in the difficulty of access: the basic food basket was located in December 2020 at $180.16, and the minimum wage at $6.35, which covers only 3.5% of the basic food basket. Additionally, a substantial increase in the use of the US dollar was determined, in parallel to the Venezuelan legal tender (Bolívar) as well as the introduction of the electronic currency “Petro”, which distorts the food access market and hinders the accessibility. Likewise, the effectiveness index for the delivery of food subsidies and the ability to satisfy the basic food basket through the food programs was determined. The existence of forms of moral expression of food violence was determined by observing in the respondents, high levels of dissatisfaction in the delivery criteria both in a general and community way and high levels of inappropriate perception of the use of propaganda or political advertising in the delivery of help with the no consulted use of the image of the beneficiaries. Forms of emotional expression of food violence were evidenced, showing high levels of dissatisfaction and uncertainty in the ability to purchase food, as well as high levels of anguish. Forms of cultural expression of food violence were determined, by determining changes in the ancestral and traditional eating pattern of the Venezuelan, as well as high measurements of dissatisfaction in the forced change in said pattern, as well as in the alteration of tastes and preferences expressed by the respondents have experienced. Sanitary forms of expression of food violence were evidenced, by determining considerable percentages in the consumption of basic products such as flour and sugar in bulk with ignorance of the brand and origin of the food and high levels of dissatisfaction with the realization of this type of consumption. No physical forms of expression of Food Violence were evidenced when the queues for food access were apparently stopped, and the use of body markings.

Approaches for Implementing Healthy Food Interventions in Settings With Limited Resources: A Case Study of Sodium Reduction Interventions in Emergency Food Programs Addressing Food Insecurity

Purpose This study describes how recipients of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention funded Sodium Reduction in Communities Program (SRCP) worked with emergency food programs to improve access to healthy food to address chronic conditions. Design SRCP recipients partnered with emergency food programs to implement sodium reduction strategies including nutrition standards, procurement practices, environmental strategies, and behavioral economics approaches. Setting SRCP recipients and emergency food programs in Washington County and Benton County, Arkansas and King County, Washington. Subjects SRCP recipient staff, emergency food program staff, and key stakeholders. Measures We conducted semi-structured interviews with key stakeholders and systematic review of program documents. Analysis Data were analyzed using effects matrices for each recipient. Matrices were organized using select implementation science constructs and compared in a cross-case analysis. Results Despite limited resources, emergency food programs can implement sodium reduction interventions which may provide greater access to healthy foods and lead to reductions in health disparities. Emergency food programs successfully implemented sodium reduction interventions by building on the external and internal settings; selecting strategies that align with existing processes; implementing change incrementally and engaging staff, volunteers, and clients; and sustaining changes. Conclusion Findings contribute to understanding the ways in which emergency food programs and other organizations with limited resources have implemented public health nutrition interventions addressing food insecurity and improving access to healthy foods. These strategies may be transferable to other settings with limited resources.

Shifts in Sources of Food but Stable Nutritional Outcomes among Children in the Early Months of the COVID-19 Pandemic

Early in the COVID-19 pandemic, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), State governments, and school districts took unprecedented steps to mitigate the pandemic’s impact on students’ nutrition. To examine the effect of emergency responses on 6-year-old children’s nutritional outcomes, this study analyzed longitudinal data from a national study of children’s feeding practices, the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children—Infant and Toddler Feeding Practices Study-2 (WIC ITFPS-2). Findings include no differences in food insecurity prevalence; however, there were shifts in sources of food, with children in the post-COVID-emergency-declaration (post-ED) group consuming more dietary energy from stores and community food programs and less from restaurants and schools than children in the pre-COVID-emergency-declaration (pre-ED) group (p < 0.01 for all comparisons). Examination of within-person mean differences in 2015 Healthy Eating Index scores and nutrient intakes between ages 5 and 6 years revealed few statistically significant differences between the two groups: children in the post-ED group consumed slightly fewer vegetables (p = 0.02) and less sodium (p = 0.01) than their pre-ED peers. Findings suggest emergency efforts to maintain children’s nutrition were largely successful in the early months of the pandemic. Research is needed to understand the mechanisms by which emergency efforts contributed to these findings.

Characteristics of Canadian school food programs funded by provinces and territories

Given the complexity of school food programs (SFPs) in Canada and recent political developments, this research provides a systematic examination of provincially and territorially-funded SFPs during the 2018/19 school year. Relevant literature and the RE-AIM Framework, a planning and evaluation tool developed by Glasgow, Boles & Vogt (1999), informed the development of an electronic survey sent to leads in each province and territory to assess SFP Reach, Effectiveness, Adoption, Implementation, and Maintenance. Results from 24 surveys (16 from provincial/territorial ministries/ departments, supplemented by surveys from 8 non-governmental organizations (NGOs), indicate considerable variability across Canada. Collectively, provinces and territories contributed over $93 million to support a minimum of 6,159 programs in 5,186 JK-12 schools, funding free breakfasts, snacks, and/or lunches for a minimum of 1,018,323 or 20% of students (based on limited data in some jurisdictions). The majority of provinces and territories partner with one or more NGOs and rely heavily on NGO staff and volunteers. Program demand often exceeds supply and monitoring is inconsistent. This research, which provide an important but incomplete picture of SFPs in Canada, indicate the value of future discussions about SFP administration, especially about program mandates, student reach and universality, sustainability and resources, and monitoring based on nationally-harmonized metrics. The results offer opportunities to explore promising organizational practices, enhanced collaboration, and sharing of expertise, all of which would assist with developing the National School Food Program proposed in the 2019 federal budget.

Authorship Correction: The Good Food for Learning Universal Curriculum-Integrated Healthy School Lunch Intervention: Protocol for a Two-Year Matched Control Pre-Post and Case Study (Preprint)

BACKGROUND Good nutrition affects children’s health, well-being, and learning, and schools offer an important setting to promote healthy behaviors that can last a lifetime. Once children reach school age, they spend more of their waking hours in school than in any other environment. Children’s eating habits may be easier to influence than those of adults. In Canada, households with children are more likely to experience food insecurity, and school food programs that are universally available to all children can support the development of healthy eating patterns across groups of varying socioeconomic status. There is a significant gap in the rigorous community-engaged academic research on the impact of school meal programs, especially universal ones. OBJECTIVE The aim of this population health intervention research is to study the impact of a 2-year universal, curriculum-integrated healthy school lunch program in elementary schools in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada, on food consumption, dietary quality and food and nutrition-related knowledge, attitudes, and practices. METHODS This population health intervention study will be conducted in 2 intervention elementary schools matched with 2 control schools. We will collect preintervention data, including objective measurements of food eaten at school and food-related knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors. This will be followed by the intervention itself, along with qualitative case studies of the intervention process in the 2 intervention schools. Then, we will collect postintervention data similar to the preintervention data. Finally, we will finish the data analysis and complete the ongoing sharing of learning from the project. RESULTS This study was funded in April 2020 but because of the COVID-19 pandemic, data collection did not begin until May 2021. The intervention will begin in September 2021 and end in June 2023, with end point data collection occurring in May and June 2023. The case study research will begin in September 2021 and will be ongoing for the duration of the intervention. CONCLUSIONS The opportunity we have to systematically and comprehensively study a curriculum-integrated school lunch program, as well as the promising practices for school food programs across Canada, is without precedent.

Good Food For Learning: A Universal Curriculum-Integrated Healthy Lunch Intervention Study (Preprint)

UNSTRUCTURED Good nutrition impacts children’s health, wellbeing and learning, and schools offer an important setting to promote healthy behaviors that can last a lifetime. Once children reach school age, they spend more of their waking hours in school than in any other environment. Children’s eating habits may be easier to influence than those of adults. In Canada, households with children are more likely to experience food insecurity, and school food programs that are universally available to all children can support the development of healthy eating patterns across groups of varying socioeconomic status. There is a significant gap in rigorous community-engaged academic research on the impact of school meal programs, especially universal ones. The purpose of this population health intervention research is to study the impacts of a two-year universal, curriculum-integrated healthy school lunch program in elementary schools in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada on food consumption, dietary quality and food and nutrition-related knowledge, attitudes and practices. This population health intervention study will take place in two intervention elementary schools matched with two control schools. We will collect pre-intervention data including objective measurement of food eaten at school and food-related knowledge, attitudes and behaviors. This will be followed by the intervention itself along with qualitative case studies of the intervention process in the two intervention schools. Then we will collect post-intervention data similar to pre-intervention. Finally, we will wrap up data analysis and complete the ongoing sharing of learning from the project. The opportunity we have to systematically and comprehensively study a curriculum-integrated school lunch program, as well as the promising practices for school food programs across Canada is without precedent.

I Can for Kids: Experiences and Perceived Outcomes of a Summer Food Program for Low-Income Households at Risk of Food Insecurity in Calgary, Alberta, Canada

Objectives The prevalence of household food insecurity increases in the summer when school meals are no longer accessible, which can negatively impact children's health and wellbeing. Summer food programs, such as I Can for Kids (IC4K) in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, aim to reduce food insecurity in low income households with school-aged children during the summer months. Qualitative studies have not yet examined whether or how grocery gift cards (GGC) can reduce experiences of food insecurity among low-income households. We explored recipients’ and agency staff experiences and perceived outcomes of receiving or distributing GGC from IC4K. Methods This study used qualitative descriptive methodology. Data generation and analysis were guided by Freedman et al's theoretical framework of nutritious food access. Semi-structured interviews were conducted between August and November 2020 with 38 primary caregivers (i.e., GGC recipients) and 17 agency staff who distributed GGC. Directed content analysis was used to analyze the data from each set of interviews using a deductive-inductive approach. Codes were combined into themes that summarized GGC recipients’ and agency staff's experiences and perceived outcomes of receiving or distributing GGC, and feedback to improve program delivery. Results Three themes were generated from the data. The first theme was Financial Relief and reflected increased self-efficacy, improved diet quality, and reduced household stress from receiving GGC. The second theme was Social Connectedness and described enriched family relationships, enhanced rapport between staff and recipients, and increased recipient social capital. The last theme was Program Enhancements and described feedback to improve program delivery by extending program duration, increasing strategic direction to staff on GGC distribution, and additional promotional efforts to increase awareness of GGC availability. Conclusions GGC recipients and agency staff perceived that GGC offered financial relief and enhanced social connections for recipients, and suggested areas for program improvements. Study findings can inform improvements to summer food programs that deliver GGC to reduce food insecurity among low-income households in the summer. Funding Sources Funding provided by the O'Brien Institute for Public Health at the University of Calgary.

Perceived barriers in accessing food among recent Latin American immigrants in Toronto

Objective: In Canada, recent immigrant households experience more food insecurity than the general population, but limited information is available about the personal, cultural, and social factors that contribute to this vulnerability. This study focused on recent Latin American (LA) immigrants to explore their perceived barriers in acquiring safe, nutritious, and culturally-appropriate food. Design: A cross-sectional mixed-method design was applied to collect information from a convenience sample of 70 adult Spanish/Portuguese speakers who had arrived in Toronto within the last five years. Face-to-face interviews were conducted with primary household caregivers to obtain responses about barriers to acquiring food for their households; data were analyzed using a thematic analysis technique. Results: Four main categories of barriers were identified: limited financial resources; language difficulty; cultural food preferences; and poor knowledge of available community-based food resources and services. Inadequate income was the main impediment in accessing adequate food, and was related to affordability of food items, accessibility of food outlets and transportation cost, and limited time for grocery shopping due to work conditions. Language barriers affected participants’ ability to obtain well-paid employment and their awareness about and access to available community-based food resources. Cultural barriers were related to food preferences and limited access to culturally-appropriate foods and resources. Conclusion: The main barrier to food security among our sample of LA newcomers to Toronto is limited financial resources, highlighting the need for policies and strategies that could improve their financial power to purchase sufficient, nutritious, and culturally-acceptable food. Linguistic barriers and limited information among newcomers suggest the need to provide linguistically- and culturally-appropriate information related to community-based food programs and resources, as well as accessible subsidized English language programs, in the community and at workplaces. Participatory community-based food programs can augment, in a socially acceptable manner, food resources and reduce the social stigma attached to food charity. Finally, it is crucial to monitor and evaluate existing social and community-based services for their accessibility, cultural appropriateness and diversity, and effectiveness.

Perceived barriers in accessing food among recent Latin American immigrants in Toronto

Objective: In Canada, recent immigrant households experience more food insecurity than the general population, but limited information is available about the personal, cultural, and social factors that contribute to this vulnerability. This study focused on recent Latin American (LA) immigrants to explore their perceived barriers in acquiring safe, nutritious, and culturally-appropriate food. Design: A cross-sectional mixed-method design was applied to collect information from a convenience sample of 70 adult Spanish/Portuguese speakers who had arrived in Toronto within the last five years. Face-to-face interviews were conducted with primary household caregivers to obtain responses about barriers to acquiring food for their households; data were analyzed using a thematic analysis technique. Results: Four main categories of barriers were identified: limited financial resources; language difficulty; cultural food preferences; and poor knowledge of available community-based food resources and services. Inadequate income was the main impediment in accessing adequate food, and was related to affordability of food items, accessibility of food outlets and transportation cost, and limited time for grocery shopping due to work conditions. Language barriers affected participants’ ability to obtain well-paid employment and their awareness about and access to available community-based food resources. Cultural barriers were related to food preferences and limited access to culturally-appropriate foods and resources. Conclusion: The main barrier to food security among our sample of LA newcomers to Toronto is limited financial resources, highlighting the need for policies and strategies that could improve their financial power to purchase sufficient, nutritious, and culturally-acceptable food. Linguistic barriers and limited information among newcomers suggest the need to provide linguistically- and culturally-appropriate information related to community-based food programs and resources, as well as accessible subsidized English language programs, in the community and at workplaces. Participatory community-based food programs can augment, in a socially acceptable manner, food resources and reduce the social stigma attached to food charity. Finally, it is crucial to monitor and evaluate existing social and community-based services for their accessibility, cultural appropriateness and diversity, and effectiveness.

Recomendaciones para los equipos que gestionan los comedores escolares en la emergencia sanitaria de COVID-19 en Argentina

El impacto de la pandemia causada por el COVID-19 puede profundizar las situaciones de malnutrición, donde será necesario adaptar los programas alimentarios a este nuevo contexto. El objetivo de este trabajo fue presentar la metodología y los principales resultados del proceso de formulación de una guía federal basada en la evidencia científica y adaptada a la realidad de la población infanto-juvenil que asiste a los comedores escolares de las 24 jurisdicciones de Argentina. Se observó que las modalidades de implementación de CE durante la pandemia fueron: módulos alimentarios (la más frecuente); módulos alimentarios entregados en la escuela con sostenimiento del CE regular y, viandas y/o refrigerios entregados diariamente. Existió escasa evidencia a nivel global y regional sobre recomendaciones específicas aplicadas a la implementación de CE, aunque se encontraron recomendaciones sobre higiene y manipulación de alimentos. A partir de un proceso participativo entre actores claves se obtuvieron recomendaciones específicas según las dimensiones de la seguridad alimentaria y nutricional (SAN). Se concluye que resulta necesario aumentar las experiencias participativas en el diseño de recomendaciones basadas en la evidencia, adaptadas al territorio y que asuman un enfoque integral desde las dimensiones de la SAN. The impact of the pandemic caused by COVID-19 may deepen the situations of malnutrition, where it will be necessary to adapt food programs to this new context. The objective of this work was to present the methodology and the main results of the process of formulating a federal guide based on scientific evidence and adapted to the reality of the child and adolescent population that attend school canteens in the 24 jurisdictions of Argentina. It was observed that the modalities for the implementation of SC during the pandemic were: food modules (the most frequent); food modules delivered at school with regular SC support and, food and/or snacks delivered daily. There was little evidence at the global and regional level on specific recommendations applied to the implementation of SC, although recommendations on hygiene and food handling were found. Based on a participatory process among key actors, specific recommendations were obtained according to the dimensions of food and nutrition security (FNS). It is concluded that it is necessary to increase participatory experiences in the design of recommendations based on evidence, adapted to the territory and that assume a comprehensive approach from the dimensions of FNS.