Online Program

334980
Impact of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP-Ed) healthy food retail in-store nutrition education and marketing


Monday, November 2, 2015

Sallie Yoshida, DrPH, RD, The Sarah Samuels Center for Public Health Research & Evaluation, Oakland, CA
Morgan Pareja, MPH, The Sarah Samuels Center for Public Health Research & Evaluation, Oakland, CA
Mariah Lafleur, MPH, The Sarah Samuels Center for Public Health Research & Evaluation, Oakland, CA
Jack Thompson, MPH, Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, Nutrition and Activity Program, LOS ANGELES, CA
Tony Kuo, MD, MSHS, Department of Family Medicine and the David Geffen School Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA
Emily Caesar, MPH, MSW, Division of Chronic Disease and Injury Prevention, Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, Los Angeles, CA
Brenda Smith, Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, Los Angeles
Dipa Shah-Patel, MPH, RD, Nutrition and Physical Activity Program, Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, Los Angeles, CA
Brenda Robles, MPH, Division of Chronic Disease and Injury Prevention, Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, Los Angeles, CA
Katherine Rolfsmeyer, MPH, Nutrition and Physical Activity Program, Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, Los Angeles, CA
Introduction 

To address environmental risk factors for obesity, the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health is implementing Nutrition Education Obesity Prevention (NEOP) activities that deliver SNAP education to low income families throughout the county in large retail chain stores to support healthy food purchases. The study objective was to describe the socio-demographic and food purchasing characteristics of the store patrons, and examine their perceptions of the store environment and as well as of the impact of NEOP nutrition education messages on purchasing behaviors. 

Methods

1101 intercept surveys with large grocery store shoppers and store assessments of 5 large stores where NEOP programming is being implemented were conducted between June 2014 – January 2015. Surveys were completed in English and Spanish using QuickTap Survey. Hats and T-shirts were provided as incentives.  Data were exported into SPSSv21 and frequencies analyzed.

Results

Of the survey respondents, 40% of shoppers had less than a high school degree, 32% receive SNAP benefits, 90% were Latino, and 72% were female. Respondents who were aware of SNAP-Ed marketing materials reported that two of the five materials were highly likely to change what they ate or drank. Respondents who participated in SNAP-Ed events or classes also reported that they were highly likely to change what they ate or drank.   

Conclusion

Healthy food retail marketing and health promotion can be an important influence in supporting healthier food choices.  These findings help to understand which components of a healthy retail program most influences health behavior and ultimately consumption for optimal health.

Learning Areas:

Administer health education strategies, interventions and programs
Conduct evaluation related to programs, research, and other areas of practice
Implementation of health education strategies, interventions and programs
Planning of health education strategies, interventions, and programs

Learning Objectives:
Name 2 marketing promotion strategies that support healthy behavior. Describe the importance of healthy food retail for obesity prevention. List 2 ways grocery stores can support health food purchases.

Keyword(s): Marketing, Low-Income

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I have worked in the field of public health nutrition, specifically focused on SNAP-ed eligible participants for the last 20 years. I'm currently PI of fresh food financing initiatives in California and Colorado. My interests are in evaluating programs and initiatives that work to increase access to healthy food and reduce disparities in health.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.