The purpose of this study was to identify the energy practices of low‐income households in Virginia and to assess the impact of high energy prices on their lives. A survey of 941 low‐income Virginia households revealed that household income, tenure type, and home structure type showed significant relationships with energy practices of these households. Results include the following: (1) households with the lowest incomes and renters tended to perceive more energy cost problems and (2) multifamily residents (e.g., in apartments or townhomes) were less likely to check for energy efficiency when buying a product that uses energy and less likely to try to find information on how to save energy compared to residents of single‐family homes and others (e.g., in mobile homes and other nontraditional homes). More research is needed on how to best assist these households with their energy burdens and to provide them with the information and motivation to help improve their situation.

OBJECTIVE:To develop and assess reliability and validity of the Nutrition, Food Safety, and Physical Activity Checklist to measure nutrition, food safety, and physical activity practices among adult Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP) and Food Stamp Nutrition Education program (FSNE) participants.METHODS:Test-retest reliability (Cronbach alpha), internal consistency (Pearson Correlation), criterion-related validity (Spearman Correlation Coefficients), and sensitivity-to-change, were calculated for dietary quality, food safety, and physical activity, based on data collected from 73 EFNEP and FSNE participants.RESULTS:Nutrition and physical activity domains achieved reliability coefficients of 0.70. The instrument scored Spearman correlation coefficients of 0.20 for nutrition, 0.34 for food safety, and 0.28 for physical activity.CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS:The instrument consistently measured dietary and physical activity practices, but not food safety. All domains obtained low correlation coefficients, although consistent with other studies' validity results.

Logic models are a practical method for systematically collecting impact data for community nutrition efforts, such as the Food Stamp Nutrition Education program. This report describes the process used to develop and test the Community Nutrition Education Logic Model and the results of a pilot study to determine whether national evaluation data could be captured without losing flexibility of programming and evaluation at the state level. The objectives were to develop an evaluation framework based on the Logic Model to include dietary quality, food safety, food security, and shopping behavior/food resource management and to develop a training mechanism for use. The portability feature of the model should allow application to a variety of community education programs.

Obesity among U.S. children is an increasing concern. Nationwide data from 2000 show that an estimated 15 percent of children and adolescents age 6-19 are overweight, a rate that has tripled within 30 years. The risk of obesity crosses all socioeconomic and ethnic groups, but obesity is slightly more prevalent in low-income groups, and in Native American, Hispanic, and African American populations. In Virginia, few data exist on the prevalence of overweight or obesity among the youth population, particularly Latinos, a growing population in the South. This study investigated the prevalence of overweight among Latino and non-Latino low-income Virginia youth. The research also identified potential contributors to obesity and examined alternative methods for determining overweight.

A retrospective study compared Food Stamp Program (FSP) and non-FSP participants on changes in dietary intake and food-related behaviors as a result of an educational intervention. Data were collected at preintervention and postintervention on 4121 low-income adults, using 24-hour recalls and a Food Behavior Checklist (FBC). Both FSP and non-FSP participants made significant improvements on assessed food groups, nutrients, and FBC items. Few differences were found on dietary change, but FSP participants made more improvement on 4 FBC items. Results indicate that nutrition education is similarly effective in improving dietary intake and food-related behaviors of FSP and non-FSP participants.

Incidence of type 2 diabetes has greatly increased in the US, with over 90 percent having type 2. A cross-sectional, self-report survey was conducted for the purpose of assessing characteristics associated with self-management of type 2 diabetes (attitudes, certain behaviors, and perceived knowledge) among low-income Caucasian and African-American adults enrolled in the Food Stamp Nutrition Education Program (FSNEP). At the time of the study, almost 11 percent of FSNEP adult participants (457 individuals) throughout the state had type 2 diabetes. Among 196 subjects interviewed for the study, 86 were Caucasian (44%) and 100 (51%) were African-American. Results indicated that over three-fourths of subjects had been counseled on diet and exercise, but less that half were following dietary recommendations and only one-fourth were getting adequate exercise. No significant differences were found between the two race groups on assessed characteristics or among subjects grouped by place of residence (p ≤ 0.01). Significant correlations were found among subjects' characteristics, including perceived health status, perceived knowledge of diabetes, attitudes towards diabetes, meal-plan adherence, perceived barriers to physical activity, and reported diabetes control (p ≤ 0.0001). Findings imply that (a) self-management education for type 2 diabetes does not need to be different for African-Americans vs. Caucasians in southern states and (b) best disease control is achieved when those with type 2 diabetes have a high degree of knowledge of diabetes, positive attitudes, good meal plan adherence, and few perceived barriers to physical activity.

The objective of this study was to characterize potential participants of nutrition/fitness programs regarding demographics, stages of change, self‐efficacy, and decisional balance for physical activity. A cross‐sectional, mailed questionnaire was used. Participants included 545 adults randomly selected from Virginia Cooperative Extension mailing lists, with 213 questionnaires returned (response rate = 39%). Respondents were grouped by stages of change for physical activity and compared on demographics, self‐efficacy, and decisional balance using frequencies, correlations, t tests, ANOVA, and Tukey's post hoc test. Reported physical activity rate was higher than in other studies. Stage of change was positively associated with education, self‐efficacy, and decisional balance. Physical activity characteristics were positively associated with educational level. Authors concluded that a mailed questionnaire is a feasible means of collecting pre‐intervention, physical activity data for designing educational programs.

The Food Stamp Program was created to enable low-income households to obtain a nutritious diet through normal channels of trade by increasing their food purchasing power. To assess effectiveness in achieving this objective, this study examined the effect of Food Stamps on the dietary intake of households in three Southern states, comparing dietary adequacy indicators of homemakers from Food Stamp households vs. non-Food Stamp households. Findings from this study suggest relatively few differences in intake of food groups and selected nutrients between Food Stamp and non-Food Stamp households. Food Stamp recipients enrolled in Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP) typically consumed more meat and fat, but less milk than non-Food Stamp recipients. Food Stamp recipients enrolled in FSNEP typically consumed more fat and energy than non-Food Stamp recipients. This study shows that the additional resources provided by the Food Stamp Program alone may not substantially change participants' dietary intake.

Objective To provide an estimated cost-benefit ratio for the Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP), based on potential prevention of diet-related chronic diseases and conditions. Design A retrospective cost-benefit study using demographic, food/nutrient intake, and food-related behavioral data previously collected on program participants by trained paraprofessionals, before and after an intervention. Actual costs of implementing EFNEP for 1 year (1996) were also used. Subjects/Settings 3100 female and male adults who had participated in the Virginia EFNEP during 1996. Intervention Prior participation in 6 to 12 food/nutrition education lessons with subsequent graduation from EFNEP. Main Outcome Measures Cost-benefit ratios for EFNEP, based on original assumptions and subsequent sensitivity analyses. Statistical Analysis Program implementation costs were compiled and compared with monetized benefits of disease prevention to produce benefit-to-cost ratios. Excel and SPSS computer programs were used to compute cost-benefit ratios based on standard procedures used in the field of economics. Results The initial benefit-to-cost ratio was $10.64/$1.00, with subsequent sensitivity analyses producing ratios ranging from $2.66/1.00 to $17.04/1.00. Implications The results of EFNEP intervention translate into a positive cost-benefit based on potential prevention of diet-related chronic diseases and conditions. Thus, EFNEP is a good use of federal tax dollars.

This study examined the role of food assistance, nutrition education, and mother's workforce participation on the dietary patterns of rural households in South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia. The researchers utilized data collected from participants in the Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP) and the Food Stamp Nutrition Education Program (FSNEP) in the three states during the 1999 reporting year. Data on intake of foods and nutrients and food-related behaviors were used to compare Food Stamp recipients with non-Food Stamp recipients on relative dietary adequacy, recommended food-related behaviors, and other factors.

Four focus groups were conducted with low-income elderly adults (28 females and 7 males), ages 55+ years, to understand their needs and preferences for nutrition education. Adults were Congregate Meal Program participants in Virginia. Discussion questions addressed food purchasing and preparation, importance of food to health, and education methods. Discussions were audio-taped and written transcripts were made for use in data analysis. The influence of health conditions on food choices was the predominant theme of the discussions; adults made choices according to dietary restrictions. Food preferences and sensory characteristics also were important. Some experienced food insecurity. Most wanted to receive information on disease-specific food choices through group discussions and written materials.

The diets of 210 low-income African-American and white women were assessed for cancer-related components, and comparisons were made between the two groups on various food components. Energy intakes were inadequate for both groups, with African Americans having a significantly higher intake. Fat intakes for both groups were above the recommended 30% of kilocalories, but fiber intakes were less than half of the recommended amount. Meats and possible meat sources of nitrites and mutagens were not excessive. A majority of both groups consumed inadequate amounts of vitamins A, C, and E; folate; calcium; milk; vegetables; and fruits. Dietary imbalances appeared to pose a significant cancer risk for these women.

This study examined the effect of food assistance on the dietary patterns of households in South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia. Data was collected from 6,969 participants in the Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP) and 3,552 participants in the Food Stamp Nutrition Education Program (FSNEP). EFNEP and FSNEP teach low-income families and youth how to make healthy food choices, prepare food safely, and reduce food insecurity. Findings indicate that there were relatively few differences in intake of food groups and selected nutrients between Food Stamp and non-Food Stamp households prior to educational intervention. Food Stamp recipients enrolled in EFNEP typically consumed more meat and fat, but less milk than non-Food Stamp recipients. Food Stamp recipients enrolled in FSNEP typically consumed more fat and energy than non-Food Stamp recipients. There were also relatively few differences in food-related behaviors between Food Stamp and non-Food Stamp households prior to educational intervention. Fewer Food Stamp recipients reported desirable food safety behaviors, but more Food Stamp recipients planned meals ahead of time and ran out of food before the end of the month. This study suggests that the provision of Food Stamps alone will not improve recipient food choices and food preparation practices. Based on a long history of positive dietary and food behavior improvement among EFNEP participants, it seems certain that Food Stamp recipients would benefit from a nutrition education program. (Contains 11 references.) (TD) Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document. Do Food Stamps without Education Improve the Nutrient Intake and Food-Related Behaviors of Recipients? Food Assistance Needs of the South's Vulnerable Populations, Number 4 1 Katherine L. Cason Ruby H. Cox Janie L. Burney PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE AND DISSEMINATE THIS MATERIAL HAS BEEN GRANTED BY