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Effectiveness of mobile produce markets in increasing access and affordability of fruits and vegetables among low-income seniors

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  04 September 2020

Reece Lyerly*
Affiliation:
Rhode Island Public Health Institute, 383 W. Fountain St. Suite 101, Providence, RI 02903, USA Tufts University Gerald J. and Dorothy R. Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy, Boston, MA, USA
Pasquale Rummo
Affiliation:
Department of Population Health, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
Sarah Amin
Affiliation:
University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI, USA
Whitney Evans
Affiliation:
The Miriam Hospital/Brown University Warren Alpert Medical School, Providence, RI, USA
Eliza Dexter Cohen
Affiliation:
Rhode Island Public Health Institute, 383 W. Fountain St. Suite 101, Providence, RI 02903, USA
Eliza Lawson
Affiliation:
Rhode Island Public Health Institute, 383 W. Fountain St. Suite 101, Providence, RI 02903, USA
Eliza Hallett
Affiliation:
Department of Pediatrics, Boston Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA
Sophia De-Oliveira
Affiliation:
Rhode Island Public Health Institute, 383 W. Fountain St. Suite 101, Providence, RI 02903, USA Brown University School of Public Health Center for Health Equity Research, Providence, RI, USA
Jennifer Rose
Affiliation:
Wesleyan University, Middletown, CT, USA
Cassandra Sutten Coats
Affiliation:
Rhode Island Public Health Institute, 383 W. Fountain St. Suite 101, Providence, RI 02903, USA Brown University School of Public Health Center for Health Equity Research, Providence, RI, USA
Amy Nunn
Affiliation:
Rhode Island Public Health Institute, 383 W. Fountain St. Suite 101, Providence, RI 02903, USA Brown University School of Public Health Center for Health Equity Research, Providence, RI, USA
*
*Corresponding author: Email reece.lyerly@tufts.edu
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Abstract

Objective:

Mobile produce markets (MPM) offering Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) incentive programmes have the potential to provide accessible and affordable fruits and vegetables (FV) to populations at risk of food insecurity. The objective of this study is to characterise the customer base of an MPM and describe their participation at twelve market sites serving low-income seniors.

Design:

In 2018, customers from an MPM in Rhode Island (RI) participated in a cross-sectional survey (n 330; 68 % response rate), which measured dietary patterns, food security and food shopping behaviours. We compared the shopping habits and market experiences of customers who currently received SNAP benefits with those who did not currently receive SNAP benefits.

Setting:

An MPM in RI which offers a 50 % discount for FV purchased with SNAP benefits.

Participants:

This study describes current market customers at twelve market sites serving low-income seniors.

Results:

Market customers were mostly low-income, female, over the age of 50 years and Hispanic/Latino. Most customers received SNAP benefits, and almost half were food insecure. In addition, three quarters of SNAP customers reported their SNAP benefits last longer since shopping at the markets. Mixed logistic regression models indicated that SNAP customers were more likely to report buying and eating more FV than non-SNAP customers.

Conclusions:

MPM are critical resources of affordable produce and have been successful in improving access to FV among individuals of low socio-economic status in RI. This case study can inform policy and programme recommendations for MPM and SNAP incentive programmes.

Information

Type
Research paper
Copyright
© The Author(s), 2020. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of The Nutrition Society
Figure 0

Table 1 Characteristics of food on the move customers

Figure 1

Table 2 Typical shopping characteristics of food on the move customers

Figure 2

Table 3 Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits and shopping habits at Food on the Move Markets (n 250)

Figure 3

Table 4 Impact of food on the move markets

Figure 4

Table 5 Mixed multivariable logistic regression results for Food on the Move (FOTM) shopper outcomes