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Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Food security and nutrition

The Economics of Local Food Systems: A Toolkit to Guide Community Discussions, Assessments and Choices
Seven research modules guiding food system planning, economic assessment, and analysis of data. Explains that local food production promotes rural economic revitalization and supports built capital invested in rural communities, and notes the importance of recognizing differences in rural and urban food issues.
Author(s): Dawn Thilmany McFadden, David Conner, Steven Deller, et al.
Date: 03/2016
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: U.S. Department of Agriculture
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Improvements and Disparities in Types of Foods and Milk Beverages Offered in Elementary School Lunches, 2006-2007 to 2013-2014
Evaluates changes and disparities in school lunch characteristics, using data from 4,630 public schools. Features breakdowns by urban, suburban, town, or rural locale.
Author(s): Lindsey Turner, Punam Ohri-Vachaspati, Lisa Powell, Frank J. Chaloupka
Citation: Preventing Chronic Disease, 13
Date: 03/2016
Type: Document
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America After 3PM Special Report: The Growing Importance of Afterschool in Rural Communities
Provides an overview of afterschool and summer learning programming in rural America. Discusses health and wellness impacts of afterschool programs for rural children. Describes strengths of rural programs and identifies barriers to participation in rural communities.
Date: 03/2016
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Afterschool Alliance
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Beverage Consumption in an Alaska Native Village: A Mixed-methods Study of Behaviour, Attitudes and Access
Assesses sugar-sweetened beverage, water, and other beverage consumption with attitudes towards consumption in Alaskan Native children and adults living in rural Alaska. Includes statistics for beverage type by frequency of consumption for children and adults.
Author(s): Deena Elwan, Peter de Schweinitz, Janet M. Wojcicki
Citation: International Journal of Circumpolar Health, 75(1)
Date: 02/2016
Type: Document
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A Special Governors' Roundtable: State and County Collaboration to Tackle Chronic Rural Poverty
Video recording of a bi-partisan panel of governors at the National Association of Counties' Annual Meeting discussing issues surrounding childhood poverty in rural America. Focuses on the Rural Impact Challenge, a collaborative effort between county, state, and national leaders to fight rural poverty. Includes discussion of substance abuse prevention and treatment, job creation, economic development, situational and inter-generational poverty, and food insecurity. USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack moderated the panel, which included governors from Tennessee, Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Utah and took place February 22, 2016.
Date: 02/2016
Type: Video/Multimedia
Sponsoring organization: National Association of Counties
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A Brief Evaluation of a Project to Engage American Indian Young People as Agents of Change in Health Promotion Through Radio Programming, Arizona, 2009-2013
Results of a study in which 37 American Indian people aged 10-21 were recruited and trained in broadcasting and creative writing techniques, to enable them to produce and air 3 radio dramas which promoted physical activity and healthy food choices.
Author(s): Tara M. Chico-Jarillo, Athena Crozier, Nicolette I. Teufel-Shone, Theresa Hutchens, Miranda George
Date: 02/2016
Type: Document
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The 2016 Colorado Health Report Card: Celebrating a Decade of Data
Examines the barriers to pursuing a healthy lifestyle in rural Colorado communities. Provides examples of innovative programs and uses rural-relevant statistics and illustrations to highlight three main areas of interest: poverty, limited healthy options, and limited access to care. Includes county-level health and population-related statistics for all 64 counties in Colorado.
Date: 01/2016
Type: Website
Sponsoring organization: Colorado Health Foundation
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Columbia Gorge Region, Oregon and Washington: 2016 RWJF Culture of Health Prize Winner
Describes how the communities within the Columbia Gorge region took a collaborative approach by developing a 15-member community advisory committee that included Medicaid recipients and Latino residents. Top concerns addressed by this committee were food, housing, jobs and transportation, along with improved access to dental and mental health, and better coordination among social services and healthcare providers. Projects included expanding the use and training of community health workers (CHWs) to assist Latino residents when navigating programs outside of healthcare and the development of a fruit and vegetable prescription program to support increased intake of healthy foods. A collective impact specialist was hired to help solve community problems through collaborative efforts, and to find grants and other sources of funding to support their projects. Columbia Gorge Region is a recipient of the 2016 Robert Wood Johnson Foundation's Culture of Health Prize.
Date: 2016
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
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Fewer Than Half of WIC-Eligible Families Receive WIC Benefits
Examines the characteristics of families eligible for the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) who receive WIC benefits compared to those who do not. Includes information on rural versus urban families participating in WIC. Identifies nonparticipating WIC-eligible families that could be targeted for outreach.
Author(s): Kristin Smith
Date: 2016
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Carsey School of Public Policy
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Health Equity Series: Food Insecurity
Reports on disparities related to food security in Missouri. Includes a brief history of the topic and a discussion on food access. Covers other socio-economic factors that can contribute to food insecurity. Sections 15 and 20 focus specifically on rural versus urban comparisons.
Author(s): Cindy Calender
Date: 12/2015
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Missouri Foundation for Health
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