Rural Hunger and Access to Healthy Food – Resources
Selected recent or important resources focusing on Rural Hunger and Access to Healthy Food.
Factors Associated with Sugar-Sweetened Beverage Intake Among Young Children – United States, 2021
Analyzes sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) intake among children 1-5 years old across sociodemographic and household factors. Provides data on SSB intake according to demographics, maternal age of mother, household income, education level, household language, food security, metropolitan statistical area (MSA) status, and more.
Author(s): Mary Ellen Grap, Heather C. Hamner, Carrie Dooyema, Adi Noiman, Sohyun Park
Citation: Preventing Chronic Disease, 21
Date: 03/2024
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Analyzes sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) intake among children 1-5 years old across sociodemographic and household factors. Provides data on SSB intake according to demographics, maternal age of mother, household income, education level, household language, food security, metropolitan statistical area (MSA) status, and more.
Author(s): Mary Ellen Grap, Heather C. Hamner, Carrie Dooyema, Adi Noiman, Sohyun Park
Citation: Preventing Chronic Disease, 21
Date: 03/2024
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Utilizing the USDA's National Household Food Acquisition and Purchase Survey to Calculate a Household-Level Food Environment Measure
Offers the Food Retail Environment Healthfulness Quality measure, a calculation measuring a household's exposure to healthy food retail spaces. Uses the measure to show rural and urban comparisons of distance to healthy food options in addition to demographic analysis.
Author(s): Michele Ver Ploeg, Benjamin Scharadin, Lauren Miller, Jeffrey Gonzalez, Rodney Odom
Date: 03/2024
Sponsoring organization: USDA Economic Research Service
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Offers the Food Retail Environment Healthfulness Quality measure, a calculation measuring a household's exposure to healthy food retail spaces. Uses the measure to show rural and urban comparisons of distance to healthy food options in addition to demographic analysis.
Author(s): Michele Ver Ploeg, Benjamin Scharadin, Lauren Miller, Jeffrey Gonzalez, Rodney Odom
Date: 03/2024
Sponsoring organization: USDA Economic Research Service
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Evaluation of the USDA Summer EBT Demonstrations: Lessons Learned From More Than a Decade of Research
Reports results of the Summer EBT (Electronic Benefits Transfer) demonstration project, 2015-2018 and 2019-2022. Describes Summer EBT use patterns, nutritional value, and effect on childhood food insecurity. Identifies strategies for better program planning, implementation, and administration. Discusses program operation and challenges in tribal organizations and rural communities.
Additional links: 2015-2018 Evaluation, 2019-2022 Evaluation, Summary
Author(s): René Nutter, Ayesha Enver, Maria Boyle, et al.
Date: 03/2024
Sponsoring organization: USDA Food and Nutrition Service
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Reports results of the Summer EBT (Electronic Benefits Transfer) demonstration project, 2015-2018 and 2019-2022. Describes Summer EBT use patterns, nutritional value, and effect on childhood food insecurity. Identifies strategies for better program planning, implementation, and administration. Discusses program operation and challenges in tribal organizations and rural communities.
Additional links: 2015-2018 Evaluation, 2019-2022 Evaluation, Summary
Author(s): René Nutter, Ayesha Enver, Maria Boyle, et al.
Date: 03/2024
Sponsoring organization: USDA Food and Nutrition Service
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Rural Non-Congregate Summer Meals in 2023: Insights from the First Year of a New Program
Discusses the implementation of the non-congregate meal program in its first year. Utilizes recorded conversations and surveys to discuss the successes and challenges of summer non-congregate meal programs in rural areas. Includes data on meal types, distribution models, definitions of rural used among program grantees, food insecurity of children and families, and more.
Additional links: Micro-Report for Sponsors, Micro-Report for State Agencies, State Agency Survey Brief
Author(s): A. Panzera, M. Kirk-Epstein, P. Pokorney, et al.
Date: 02/2024
Sponsoring organization: No Kid Hungry
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Discusses the implementation of the non-congregate meal program in its first year. Utilizes recorded conversations and surveys to discuss the successes and challenges of summer non-congregate meal programs in rural areas. Includes data on meal types, distribution models, definitions of rural used among program grantees, food insecurity of children and families, and more.
Additional links: Micro-Report for Sponsors, Micro-Report for State Agencies, State Agency Survey Brief
Author(s): A. Panzera, M. Kirk-Epstein, P. Pokorney, et al.
Date: 02/2024
Sponsoring organization: No Kid Hungry
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Selected Charts from Ag and Food Statistics: Charting the Essentials, 2024
Report highlights the various measures of the rural and agricultural economy. Includes rates of rural versus urban poverty and unemployment, population change in metro and nonmetro areas, and rates of food security in principal cities, suburban, and rural areas.
Date: 02/2024
Sponsoring organization: USDA Economic Research Service
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Report highlights the various measures of the rural and agricultural economy. Includes rates of rural versus urban poverty and unemployment, population change in metro and nonmetro areas, and rates of food security in principal cities, suburban, and rural areas.
Date: 02/2024
Sponsoring organization: USDA Economic Research Service
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USDA Overview of the IFR for Summer EBT and Non-Congregate Summer Meal Service in Rural Areas
Slides that provide an overview of the interim final rule (IFR) regarding the Summer Electronic Benefit Transfer Program for Children (Summer EBT) and non-congregate summer meals in rural areas.
Author(s): Kevin Maskornick, Jess Saracino, Anne Fiala
Date: 01/2024
Sponsoring organization: USDA Food and Nutrition Service
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Slides that provide an overview of the interim final rule (IFR) regarding the Summer Electronic Benefit Transfer Program for Children (Summer EBT) and non-congregate summer meals in rural areas.
Author(s): Kevin Maskornick, Jess Saracino, Anne Fiala
Date: 01/2024
Sponsoring organization: USDA Food and Nutrition Service
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Regional Variability in the Prevalence of Food Insecurity and Diet Quality among United States Children
Examines food security status (FSS), participation in the federal nutrition assistance program (FNAP), and diet quality among children in the United States. Analyzes 6,403 children aged 2 to 17 years old and discusses household food security and child food security according to rural versus urban location.
Author(s): Jayna M. Dave, Tzuan A. Chen, Alexandra N. Castro, et al.
Citation: Nutrients, 16(2), 224
Date: 01/2024
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Examines food security status (FSS), participation in the federal nutrition assistance program (FNAP), and diet quality among children in the United States. Analyzes 6,403 children aged 2 to 17 years old and discusses household food security and child food security according to rural versus urban location.
Author(s): Jayna M. Dave, Tzuan A. Chen, Alexandra N. Castro, et al.
Citation: Nutrients, 16(2), 224
Date: 01/2024
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Produce Prescription Programs Offer 'A Holistic Approach' to Addressing Rural Food Insecurity and Diet-Related Disease
Features produce prescription programs serving rural Mississippi, New Mexico, and Vermont that are helping improve access to healthy foods for those with diet-related chronic conditions. Describes how produce Rx programs can support local food systems and discusses funding and sustainability considerations.
Author(s): Brendan Stermer
Citation: Rural Monitor
Date: 01/2024
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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Features produce prescription programs serving rural Mississippi, New Mexico, and Vermont that are helping improve access to healthy foods for those with diet-related chronic conditions. Describes how produce Rx programs can support local food systems and discusses funding and sustainability considerations.
Author(s): Brendan Stermer
Citation: Rural Monitor
Date: 01/2024
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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Food Insecurity Increased to 1 in 10 Adults Ages 50 and Older in 2022
Fact sheet describing food insecurity among adults ages 50 and older. Identifies trends, presents data on demographic disparities, and provides state-by-state and age group comparisons. Figure 4 compares metropolitan and nonmetropolitan food insecurity prevalence.
Author(s): Olivia Dean, Carlos Figueiredo
Date: 01/2024
Sponsoring organization: AARP Public Policy Institute
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Fact sheet describing food insecurity among adults ages 50 and older. Identifies trends, presents data on demographic disparities, and provides state-by-state and age group comparisons. Figure 4 compares metropolitan and nonmetropolitan food insecurity prevalence.
Author(s): Olivia Dean, Carlos Figueiredo
Date: 01/2024
Sponsoring organization: AARP Public Policy Institute
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Policy, Systems, and Environmental Strategies Generated by Stakeholders to Support Food Security in Rural Communities
Examines policy, systems, and environmental (PSE) strategies in rural communities of Arizona, Georgia, Kentucky, Michigan, and Texas that address food insecurity. Provides recommendations based on interview data such as improving ease of program enrollment, providing more awareness of services, and making program use more hassle-free.
Additional links: Arizona Brief, Full Report, Georgia Brief, Kentucky Brief, Michigan Brief, Texas Brief
Author(s): Carmen Byker Shanks, Shelly Palmer, Emily Shaw, et al.
Date: 12/2023
Sponsoring organization: No Kid Hungry
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Examines policy, systems, and environmental (PSE) strategies in rural communities of Arizona, Georgia, Kentucky, Michigan, and Texas that address food insecurity. Provides recommendations based on interview data such as improving ease of program enrollment, providing more awareness of services, and making program use more hassle-free.
Additional links: Arizona Brief, Full Report, Georgia Brief, Kentucky Brief, Michigan Brief, Texas Brief
Author(s): Carmen Byker Shanks, Shelly Palmer, Emily Shaw, et al.
Date: 12/2023
Sponsoring organization: No Kid Hungry
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Last Updated: 3/25/2025