S. Ryan Pierson, MS, RD: No relevant financial relationship(s) with ineligible companies to disclose.
Objectives: Food insecurity affected roughly 10.5 percent of U.S. households in 2020, according to the USDA Economic Research Service. There is limited evidence regarding the effectiveness of educational resources provided to low-socioeconomic status (SES) individuals to curb food insecurity. This study aimed to identify the effectiveness of a practical education session regarding how to access affordable, nutrient-dense foods for those affected by food insecurity.
Methods: A total of 102 subjects, aged 32-69 years in low-SES communities participated in a 5-minute nutrition and resource education session. The education session focused on nutrition knowledge, self-efficacy in locating purchase sites with nutrient-dense foods, and self-efficacy in identification of resources that can be utilized for acquiring nutrient-dense foods. Each participant completed a demographic and 5-point, 3-question pretest and posttest survey. The survey measured self-reported understanding of a healthy diet, where to purchase nutrient-dense foods locally, and how to utilize local resources to acquire nutrient-dense foods. Pre-survey data collection and the education session was performed in-person; post-survey data was collected by telephone. Analysis was conducted through Stata with significance at p< 0.05.
Results: Mean pretest to posttest scores increased significantly for self-reported understanding of a healthy diet (p=0.000), where to purchase nutrient-dense foods locally (p=0.000), and how to utilize local resources to acquire nutrient-dense foods (p=0.000).
Conclusions: Nutrition and resource education play a valuable role in enabling low-SES individuals to access and consume nutrient-dense food.
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