"Spend Less. Eat Well. Feel Better." (SLEWFB) is a 3-hour intervention designed to improve food resource management ability, health, and food security status. This program efficacy trial targeted clients seeking financial aid to prevent homelessness. A randomized controlled design using a I-hour food safety intervention as a control group was used. Four variables were targeted over a 30-day time period: (1) food security status, (2) basic financial management, (3) average fruit and vegetable intake, and (4) goal accomplishment. Repeated-measures analysis of variance and chi-square analysis were used. Compared with control group participants (n = 47), SLEWFB graduates (n = 48) were less likely to have to choose between food and rent expenses (X-2 = 16.5, P = .00005) and improved their fruit and vegetable intake (F of time = 8.03, P < .006) regardless of financial assistance received. The findings imply that further investigation of coupling financial aid with effective life skills education is warranted.

Objective The purpose of this study was to document Hawai`i's food security stakeholders' perceptions of (1) definitions of food insecurity and hunger, (2) what should be measured, (3) how stakeholders interpret the Core Food Security Module (CFSM) and Face Valid Food Security Measure (FVFSM), and (4) the value of specific items in the CFSM. Design Perceptions were gathered through focus groups and interviews. Subjects The 43 stakeholders included 19 WIC nutritionists, 10 food pantry providers, 4 Hawai`i foodbank board members, 4 social workers, 3 legislators, and 3 homeless food providers. Analysis Performed Transcripts were analyzed using constant comparative analysis of each question asked, comparisons between groups, and comparisons with the research literature. Results Stakeholders desired more detailed information than the CFSM currently yields and also a simple tool to measure the entire range of food insecurity that could be used to “help the needy.” Participants favored the FVFSM over the CFSM because “it is more accurate as far as seeing the picture properly.” Implications A “Simple Food Security Monitoring Tool,” which is based on the FVFSM, was created as an alternative tool for local food security monitoring.

The study objective was to quantify interpretations of the term "balanced meals" used in food security status assessments. Telephone interviews included 77 charitable food recipients in Hawaii. After participants first responded to the question of whether they could afford to eat balanced meals, they next defined what a "balanced meal" meant. Qualitative responses were categorized into common themes. Forty-one (53%) indicated that a balanced meal consisted of at least three food groups. Thirty-one (40%) indicated something other than three food groups: five (6%) had no idea what a "balanced meal" meant. The findings question the validity and reliability of responses to "balanced meal" food security indicators in Hawaii.

Research has shown that educational games can have positive impacts on student learning and motivation. The success of a game played in a library instruction class depends on the type of game selected, the development of learning outcomes, and the flexibility of the librarian during class. This article explains the benefits to students and librarians of using games, discusses the development and use of a Jeopardy-style game, and provides practical tips for librarians interested in developing and incorporating games into one-time library instruction sessions.

The Core Food Security Measure (CFSM) is used nationally to assess the extent and severity of household food insecurity in the previous 12 mo due to inadequate money for food. Both a scale measure and a categorical measure were developed from a national cross-sectional sample. The objective of this research was to determine whether the CFSM scale measure is a reliable and valid food security measure for use in Hawaii, where at least 50% of the population is of Asian or Pacific Islander descent. We completed an independent assessment of the robustness of the internal scale construct validity of the CSFM scale measure and hierarchical order of items using the same Rasch methods used previously to develop the CSFM. From a sample of 1664 respondents, data from 362 were used in the Rasch analysis. Item goodness-of-fit statistics indicated that responses to the “adults cut the size or skip meals” item and its follow-up item were redundant [outfit mean-square residual (MnSq) 5 0.6, z 5 22]. Responses to the “(un)able to eat balanced meals” item were erratic (outfit MnSq 5 2.1, z 5 2). Findings pertaining to goodness-of-fit of the respondents indicated an acceptable rate of misfit (4.7%). Rate of misfit did not vary with family status or with any ethnic group except the Samoans. Overall, the CFSM scale measure fit as well with the Hawaii data as it did with national data, although identified limitations may affect food security monitoring and research. J. Nutr. 130: 2666–2674, 2000.

Malnutrition has been identified as a health problem of homeless people ( 1. Wolgemuth JC Myers-Williams C Johnson P Henseler C Wasting malnutrition and inadequate nutrient intakes identified in a multiethnic homeless population. J Am Diet Assoc. 1992; 92: 834-839 Google Scholar , 2. National Academy of Sciences, Institute of Medicine Homelessness, Health and Human Needs. National Academy Press, Washington, DC1988 Google Scholar ). Because of the risk for malnutrition, we were interested in determining which foods private agencies provided to homeless and hungry people through food pantries.