ERIC Number: EJ1467464
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2022
Pages: 18
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: EISSN-2325-5226
Available Date: 0000-00-00
An Analysis of Equity in Service Provided by the SNAP-Ed Program: A Comparison of Dietary Outcomes among African American and White Participants in Louisiana
Matthew Greene; Rhiannon Kroeger; Samuel Stroope; Bailey Houghtaling; Denise Holson
Journal of Human Sciences & Extension, v10 n3 2022
Structural racism has contributed to increased poverty, food insecurity, and obesity rates among African Americans relative to Whites. Nutrition education programs should therefore consider how well they serve this population. The objective of this investigation was to assess whether African American and White Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Education (SNAP-Ed) participants in Louisiana had comparable dietary behavior outcomes by conducting secondary data analysis of previous program evaluations from 2017-2018 and 2018-2019 among African American and White SNAP-Ed participants (n = 434). Variables measured included pre- to post-intervention changes in dietary behaviors (e.g., self-reported consumption frequency of fruit, vegetables, whole grains, low-fat dairy, sugar-sweetened beverages, and juice). Statistical analyses included t-tests stratified by race and Pearson's chi-square test for categories of change in dietary behaviors. In categorical analyses, Whites had increased consumption, and African Americans had decreased consumption of whole grain pasta following SNAP-Ed participation. Among those who did not change consumption patterns following SNAP-Ed participation, African Americans were more likely to consume fruit juice and juice-flavored sugary drinks at a rate above median consumption compared to White participants. Future research should identify how program participation is followed by different dietary behavior outcomes in different races and explore how SNAP-Ed could specifically address barriers to equity.
Descriptors: Racism, African Americans, Obesity, Poverty, Whites, Eating Habits, Comparative Testing, Behavior Change, Nutrition Instruction, Program Evaluation, Program Implementation, Equal Education, Racial Factors
School of Human Sciences, Mississippi State University. PO Box 9745, Mississippi State, MS 39762. Tel: 662-325-6861; Fax: 662-325-8188; e-mail: jhse@ext.msstate.edu; Web site: https://scholarsjunction.msstate.edu/jhse/
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Louisiana
Identifiers - Laws, Policies, & Programs: Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: N/A