Honors Theses
Date of Award
2017
Document Type
Undergraduate Thesis
Department
Nutrition and Hospitality Management
First Advisor
David H. Holben
Relational Format
Dissertation/Thesis
Abstract
Objective: This study examined: 1) the impact of a farmers' market nutrition education and incentive intervention on household adult food security status, produce intake, perceived diet quality, and perceived health of individuals living in rural, Appalachian Mississippi; and 2) the relationship of household adult food security status to produce intake, perceived diet quality, and perceived health at baseline. Methods: Participants were recruited for a 12-week farmers' market nutrition education and incentive ($3.00/week) intervention at two rural farmers' markets in an economically distressed, Appalachian Mississippi county and completed pre- and post-intervention surveys. Results: The mean age of participants (n=60) was 57 years (SD=13 years). Participants were predominately white (n=51, 85%), female (n=51, 85%), married (n=36, 60%), with some college or higher education (n=40, 66.7%), and food secure (n=47/56, 83.9%). Sixty-five percent of participants (n=39) completed both pre- and post-intervention surveys. The intervention did not significantly impact household adult food security status (scale score) [pre, MEAN=0.590 (SD=1.545); post, MEAN=0.492 (SD=1.470)] (p=.344), vegetable intake [pre, MEAN=2.3 servings (SD=0.9 servings); post, MEAN=2.5 servings (SD=1.0 servings)] (p=.242), and fruit intake [pre, MEAN=1.6 servings (SD=0.9 servings); post, MEAN=1.7 servings (SD=0.9 servings)] (p=.244), total produce intake [pre, MEAN=3.9 servings (SD=1.4 servings); post, MEAN=4.2 servings (SD=1.5 servings)] (p=.071), perceived diet quality (p=.135), and perceived health (p=.285). At baseline, food insecurity was significantly related to only perceived diet quality (taub=-0.250, p=.039). Conclusion: A farmers' market nutrition education and incentive intervention was not effective in improving household adult food security status, produce intake, perceived diet quality, and perceived health of individuals living in rural, Appalachian Mississippi. However, household adult food insecurity status was associated with poorer perceived diet quality of participating adults.
Recommended Citation
Poole, Heather A., "Evaluation of a Farmers' Market Intervention on Food Insecurity, Health, and Diet of Individuals Living in Rural, Appalachian Mississippi" (2017). Honors Theses. 378.
https://egrove.olemiss.edu/hon_thesis/378
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