Identifying and Evaluating Food Environment Changes Improving Access to Affordable Healthy Foods in Low-Income Communities

Start Date: September 2008

ID #: 65054

Principal Investigator: Kim Gans, PhD, MPH, LDN

Organization: Brown University

Funding Round: Round 3

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The goal of this research is to evaluate the Fresh to You (FTY) program, which aims to increase year-round access to affordable, high-quality, fresh fruits and vegetables for low-income families through implementation of year-round discount fruit and vegetable markets in community organizations. Specifically, this work will consist of (a) conducting process evaluations of FTY in six diverse community organizations, (b) evaluating whether FTY increases household accessibility and availability of fruits and vegetables and improves various psychosocial mediators of fruit and vegetable intake, and (c) evaluating whether FTY increases fruit and vegetable consumption among 3-13 year old children. If successful, the FTY program could represent a sustainable, replicable, community-based approach to improving fruit and vegetable intake.

Age Groups: Adults and Families, Elementary-age children (grades K to 5), Preschool-age children (ages 3 to 5), Young adolescents (grades 6 to 8)

Race/Ethnicity: African American or Black, Latino(a) or Hispanic, Multi-racial/ethnic

Keywords: Community setting, Food insecurity, Fruits and vegetables, Home, Spanish language, Urban

Focus Areas: Food Access, Food Retail, Pricing & Economics

Resource Type: Grant Summary

State: Rhode Island

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