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Rural Hunger and Access to Healthy Food – Resources

Selected recent or important resources focusing on Rural Hunger and Access to Healthy Food.

Consistent SNAP Participation Increases Preventative Health Care Visits for Infants
Examines the connection between Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) participation and preventive care in an infant's first year of life. Uses data from a survey covering 51,551 first-born children of low-income mothers, ages 18 and older, who participated in SNAP and Medicaid in Missouri between 2006-2014. Features statistics including race and urban or rural residence.
Author(s): Colleen Heflin, Irma Arteaga, Julia Stafford
Date: 11/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organizations: Center for Aging and Policy Studies, Lerner Center for Public Health Promotion
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Persistent Gaps in SNAP Benefit Adequacy across the Rural-Urban Continuum
Report examining gaps in the adequacy of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits to cover the cost of a meal across the rural-urban continuum using the USDA's Rural-Urban Continuum Codes (RUCCs). Discusses characteristics of the counties with the largest gaps and addresses the policy implications of the 2021 Thrifty Food Plan (TFP) update to SNAP.
Author(s): Olivia Fiol, Elaine Waxman, Craig Gunderson
Date: 11/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Urban Institute
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The State of Nutrition in America 2021
Video of testimony presented to the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, & Forestry on Nov. 2, 2021. Discusses nutrition insecurity, nutrition-related health disparities, and diet-related disease, including ways in which this affects those who are low-income, rural, American Indians and Alaska Natives, and other racial or ethnic minorities. Includes links for transcripts.
Additional links: Testimony by Angela Odoms-Young, Cornell University, Testimony by Angela Rachidi, American Enterprise Institute, Testimony by Dariush Mozaffarian, Tufts School of Medicine, Testimony by Donald Warne, University of North Dakota, Testimony by Patrick Stover, Texas A&M University
Author(s): Dariush Mozaffarian, Angela Odoms-Young, Donald Warne, Patrick Stover, Angela Rachidi
Date: 11/2021
Type: Video/Multimedia
Sponsoring organization: Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, & Forestry
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Rural Communities Leading the Way: Introducing Local Foods to Meal Service
Discusses how 3 rural communities utilize local food procurement strategies to provide for school meals. Includes approaches to overcome food insecurity, invest in local food economies, and provide educational opportunities for students related to agriculture and science.
Date: 10/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: No Kid Hungry
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Longitudinal Analysis of Neighborhood Food Environment and Diabetes Risk in the Veterans Administration Diabetes Risk Cohort
Results of a study examining the association between neighborhood food environment and risk of type 2 diabetes across communities, with breakdowns by high-density urban, low-density urban, suburban, and rural locations. Features statistics including characteristics of the diabetes risk cohort, and incidence of type 2 diabetes by demographic characteristics, overall and by community type.
Author(s): Rania Kanchi, Priscilla Lopez, Pasquale E. Rummo, et al.
Citation: JAMA Network Open, 4(10)
Date: 10/2021
Type: Document
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Impact of USDA's Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) on Rural and Urban Economies in the Aftermath of the Great Recession
Reports on the effects of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefit spending on employment, output, and household incomes between 2009-2014. Describes the different impacts of SNAP benefit outlays on urban and rural economies.
Additional links: Report Summary
Author(s): Stephen Vogel, Cristina Miller, Katherine Ralston
Date: 10/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: USDA Economic Research Service
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How Rural Communities Overcame Challenges During COVID-19 Pandemic
A recorded webinar that provides an overview of the experiences of 16 No Kid Hungry grantees who worked with exclusively rural schools and communities during the COVID-19 pandemic. Discusses the demand for free and accessible meals, the benefits of partnerships, and the need for flexibility to break down barriers related to food insecurity.
Additional links: Report, Slide Deck
Date: 09/2021
Type: Video/Multimedia
Sponsoring organizations: No Kid Hungry, Save the Children, Walmart Foundation
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Hunger, Poverty, and Health Disparities During COVID-19 and the Federal Nutrition Programs' Role in an Equitable Recovery
Examines how food security and health were impacted by COVID-19, particularly for underserved populations and areas. Discusses the role of federal nutrition programs in addressing disparities. Includes analysis specific to rural communities.
Date: 09/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Food Research & Action Center
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Examining Child Food Insecurity in Rural America
Discusses challenges and barriers related to child food security in rural areas, with a focus on the impact of COVID-19, data exhibiting child food needs, and policy that can help close food access gaps.
Date: 07/2021
Type: Video/Multimedia
Sponsoring organization: No Kid Hungry
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Nutrition Interventions in Low-Income Rural and Urban Retail Environments: A Systematic Review
Literature review of articles published between October 2010 - October 2019, identifying and comparing nutrition interventions implemented in 20 rural and 26 urban low-income retail food stores. Includes a discussion of behavioral economics (BE) strategies used to promote healthier food choices.
Author(s): Linda Fergus, Katherine Seals, Denise Holston
Citation: Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, 121(6), 1087-1114
Date: 06/2021
Type: Document
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Last Updated: 5/21/2024