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Rural Health Information Hub

Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Food security and nutrition

The State of Obesity: Creating Pathways to a Healthier America Livestream Event
A recorded livestream event that focuses on The State of Obesity 2023: Better Policies for a Healthier America report. Discusses federal policy and strategy to address nutrition and wellness, diet-related disease, and obesity prevention programs. Includes information specific to rural areas. Transcript available under video description.
Author(s): Will McIntee, James "Jim" Jones, Caree Cotwright, et al.
Date: 10/2023
Sponsoring organization: Trust for America's Health
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Maternal and Child Health Services Title V Block Grant - Hawaii: FY 2024 Application/FY 2022 Annual Report
Describes Hawaii's maternal and child health programs, which include priorities related to family planning, food security, rates of child abuse and neglect, health screenings for children, wellness visits and vaccination, mental healthcare, telehealth access, and more. Discusses healthcare access issues for rural residents, activities by the Office of Primary Care and Rural Health, Medicaid provider shortages, and other rural-relevant issues.
Date: 09/2023
Sponsoring organization: Hawaii State Department of Health
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Hunger Pains: How Food Insecurity Affects Oral Health
Report discusses the ways food insecurity affects oral health outcomes. Highlights populations suffering from food insecurity and compares rural and urban populations. Details the oral health disparities that correlate with food insecurity.
Author(s): Paige Martin, Morgan Santoro, Lisa J. Heaton, et al.
Date: 09/2023
Sponsoring organization: CareQuest Institute for Oral Health
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2023 Maryland Hunger Profiles
Provides state- and county-level data on age of population, median household income, childhood and older adult poverty levels, and food program usage in Maryland. Discusses the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on food access as well as strategies to end hunger in the state.
Date: 09/2023
Sponsoring organization: Maryland Hunger Solutions
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Implementation of Universal School Meals During COVID-19 and Beyond: School Food Authority and Parent Perspectives
Examines the implementation of the Universal School Meals (USM) policy during COVID-19 and the continuation of USM in California and Maine. Analyzes survey data from school food authorities (SFAs) and parents in both states. Reports on issues such as food procurement and staffing issues during COVID-19, parental perspectives on school meals, and benefits of USM. Includes feedback from rural areas in Maine.
Additional links: Brief
Author(s): Leah Chapman, Juliana F. W. Cohen, Wendi Gosliner, et al.
Date: 09/2023
Sponsoring organization: No Kid Hungry
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Adult Obesity in Rural America: An Examination of the Relationships Between Obesity Prevalence, Sociodemographic Factors, Access to Care, and Differences Between Rural and Urban Counties
Provides an overview of obesity prevalence in rural versus urban counties. Analyzes factors related to obesity such as education, income, physical inactivity, healthcare workforce, and food, internet, and healthcare access. Includes case studies and data related to obesity prevalence in Texas and Arkansas.
Additional links: Appendix, Executive Summary
Date: 09/2023
Sponsoring organization: NORC at the University of Chicago
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Rural New York: Challenges and Opportunities
Provides comparative data for the 10 rural counties in New York. Discusses issues such as transportation, aging and overall declining population, shrinking labor force, and lack of access to adequate housing, food, healthcare, and broadband.
Author(s): Thomas P. DiNapoli
Date: 09/2023
Sponsoring organization: Office of the New York State Comptroller
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Evaluation of Technology Modernization for SNAP Benefit Redemption Through Online Transactions: Final Evaluation Report
Examines operations of the online purchasing pilot (OPP) that allowed Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) retailers to redeem benefits online. Analyzes data from the pilot launch in April 2019 and through the COVID-19 pandemic, with a focus on online purchasing differences between urban and rural populations, frequency of use, and delivery options of participants.
Additional links: Summary
Author(s): Michele Mendelson, Ayesha Enver, Shannon Hitchcock, et al.
Date: 09/2023
Sponsoring organization: USDA Food and Nutrition Service
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Assessing the Association Between Food Environment and Dietary Inflammation by Community Type: A Cross-Sectional REGARDS Study
Analyzes the correlation between community type and food environments. Examines 2003-2007 data from 20,322 individuals according to higher density urban, lower density urban, suburban/small town, and rural. Discusses the association between community type and their respective dietary inflammation score (DIS) as well as potential interventions for these locations.
Author(s): Yasemin Algur, Pasquale E. Rummo, Tara P. McAlexander, et al.
Citation: International Journal of Health Geographics, 22, 24
Date: 09/2023
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Sustainability Spotlight: State Funding for Produce Prescriptions
Provides an overview of two successful models of produce prescriptions (PPR) programs that provide access to fruits and vegetables for low-income families experiencing diet-related illness. Discusses sustainability, collaboration, and strategic planning of the New Mexico Fruit and Vegetable Prescription Program (FVRx) that works with tribal, rural, and frontier communities.
Author(s): Audrey Immel
Date: 09/2023
Sponsoring organization: No Kid Hungry
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