{"title":"The Hunger Cliff and Impact on Customers at Local Markets: Evidence From Virginia Fresh Match","authors":"","doi":"10.1016/j.jneb.2024.05.082","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><p>Virginia Fresh Match (VFM) is a network of farmer's markets, mobile markets, and community food stores across Virginia. VFM locations offer nutrition incentives that double the value of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) dollars spent on fruits and vegetables. Federal emergency allotments for SNAP ended in March 2023 and Virginians experienced cuts to SNAP benefits (average $82/month). Little is known about the impact of benefit reductions on household food security and shopping habits of nutrition incentive program participants.</p></div><div><h3>Objective</h3><p>To determine the impact of the reduction in SNAP benefits on VFM customers' food security status and shopping habits at local markets.</p></div><div><h3>Study Design, Settings, Participants</h3><p>Customers using SNAP-EBT and VFM were asked to complete a cross-sectional survey from the Nutrition Incentive Program Training, Technical Assistance, Evaluation, and Information Center (NTAE) with additional VFM-specific questions. Paper surveys (n=215) were collected on-site at VFM outlets and entered into Qualtrics.</p></div><div><h3>Measurable Outcome/Analysis</h3><p>The survey included sections on demographics, program participation, shopping experience, the impact of SNAP benefit cuts, and the USDA Household Food Security Survey Module (6-item). Descriptive statistics were computed.</p></div><div><h3>Results</h3><p>Although 23% of VFM customers experienced no cuts, nearly half (45%) faced a reduction in their SNAP benefits of at least $100 per month. From 2022 to 2023, participants experienced a 5 percentage point increase in household food insecurity, and 60% reported low or very low food security in 2023. Customers with very low food security (49%) and low food security (51%) were more likely to report cuts of at least $100 per month compared to those with high food security (29%). Customers (76%) struggled to purchase enough food, and 74% experienced high stress due to the loss of benefits. VFM customers disclosed shopping for food less often (69%) and changing how (81%) and where (72%) they shop.</p></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><p>Customers with lower food security experienced steeper SNAP cuts, further jeopardizing the quality and quantity of their food, and thereby increasing their stress.</p></div><div><h3>Funding</h3><p>NIFA, Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services</p></div>","PeriodicalId":50107,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.3000,"publicationDate":"2024-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior","FirstCategoryId":"3","ListUrlMain":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1499404624001829","RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q2","JCRName":"EDUCATION, SCIENTIFIC DISCIPLINES","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Background
Virginia Fresh Match (VFM) is a network of farmer's markets, mobile markets, and community food stores across Virginia. VFM locations offer nutrition incentives that double the value of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) dollars spent on fruits and vegetables. Federal emergency allotments for SNAP ended in March 2023 and Virginians experienced cuts to SNAP benefits (average $82/month). Little is known about the impact of benefit reductions on household food security and shopping habits of nutrition incentive program participants.
Objective
To determine the impact of the reduction in SNAP benefits on VFM customers' food security status and shopping habits at local markets.
Study Design, Settings, Participants
Customers using SNAP-EBT and VFM were asked to complete a cross-sectional survey from the Nutrition Incentive Program Training, Technical Assistance, Evaluation, and Information Center (NTAE) with additional VFM-specific questions. Paper surveys (n=215) were collected on-site at VFM outlets and entered into Qualtrics.
Measurable Outcome/Analysis
The survey included sections on demographics, program participation, shopping experience, the impact of SNAP benefit cuts, and the USDA Household Food Security Survey Module (6-item). Descriptive statistics were computed.
Results
Although 23% of VFM customers experienced no cuts, nearly half (45%) faced a reduction in their SNAP benefits of at least $100 per month. From 2022 to 2023, participants experienced a 5 percentage point increase in household food insecurity, and 60% reported low or very low food security in 2023. Customers with very low food security (49%) and low food security (51%) were more likely to report cuts of at least $100 per month compared to those with high food security (29%). Customers (76%) struggled to purchase enough food, and 74% experienced high stress due to the loss of benefits. VFM customers disclosed shopping for food less often (69%) and changing how (81%) and where (72%) they shop.
Conclusions
Customers with lower food security experienced steeper SNAP cuts, further jeopardizing the quality and quantity of their food, and thereby increasing their stress.
Funding
NIFA, Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services
期刊介绍:
The Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior (JNEB), the official journal of the Society for Nutrition Education and Behavior, is a refereed, scientific periodical that serves as a global resource for all professionals with an interest in nutrition education; nutrition and physical activity behavior theories and intervention outcomes; complementary and alternative medicine related to nutrition behaviors; food environment; food, nutrition, and physical activity communication strategies including technology; nutrition-related economics; food safety education; and scholarship of learning related to these areas.
The purpose of JNEB is to document and disseminate original research and emerging issues and practices relevant to these areas worldwide. The Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior welcomes evidence-based manuscripts that provide new insights and useful findings related to nutrition education research, practice and policy. The content areas of JNEB reflect the diverse interests in nutrition and physical activity related to public health, nutritional sciences, education, behavioral economics, family and consumer sciences, and eHealth, including the interests of community-based nutrition-practitioners. As the Society''s official journal, JNEB also includes policy statements, issue perspectives, position papers, and member communications.