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Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Food security and nutrition

The Poverty-Reducing Effect of Five Key Government Programs in Rural and Urban America
Examines rural and urban residents' income from five social programs: Social Security, disability benefits, federal and state cash assistance, the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Looks at the role of these programs in reducing poverty and reports how much poverty would increase in rural and urban areas without each program.
Author(s): Jessica Carson Marybeth Mattingly
Date: 2019
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Carsey School of Public Policy
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Creating a Blueprint for Our Future: Louisiana State Health Assessment and Improvement Plan, March 2016-March 2020
Offers an overview of the health of the Louisiana population and identifies goals for improvement at both the state and regional levels. Discusses rural-specific considerations throughout. Includes maps indicating rural areas and Health Professional Shortage Areas.
Date: 12/2018
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Louisiana Department of Health
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Support and Sabotage: A Qualitative Study of Social Influences on Health Behaviors among Rural Adults
Examines the impact of social relationships on health behavior adoption and maintenance by interviewing midlife and older adults in rural Montana at increased risk of chronic disease. Addresses family and peer influences on diet, physical activity, and tobacco use.
Author(s): Urshila Sriram, Emily H. Morgan, Meredith L. Graham, Sara C. Folta, Rebecca A. Seguin
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 34(1), 88-97
Date: 12/2018
Type: Document
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Rates of Obesity and Obesogenic Behaviors of Rural Appalachian Adolescents: How Do They Compare to Other Adolescents or Recommendations?
Evaluates data from a sample of Appalachian adolescents in Ohio to compare obesity and related behaviors to that of the national adolescent population. Includes comparisons for body mass index (BMI), mean body fat percentage, daily physical activity behaviors, and sugar-sweetened beverage consumption.
Author(s): Laureen H. Smith, Devin Laurent, Erica Baumker, Rick L. Petosa
Citation: Journal of Physical Activity and Health, 15(11), 874-881
Date: 11/2018
Type: Document
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Ensuring Access to Healthy Food in Beaufort County
Describes a collaborative community effort establishing a city market to increase access to healthy food in rural Beaufort County, North Carolina. The Washington City Market provides a venue for local growers to sell their products and matches restaurants in the region with local growers and their products.
Date: 10/2018
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Kate B. Reynolds Charitable Trust
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Examining the Association Between Intervention-Related Changes in Diet, Physical Activity, and Weight as Moderated by the Food and Physical Activity Environments among Rural, Southern Adults
Study examining changes in weight, diet, and physical activity in rural adults who took part in a lifestyle intervention in rural Lenoir County, North Carolina. Reports data on self-reported and objectively-measured changes over 6 months, covering access to different kinds of food retailers, gyms, and parks, as well as community walkability, crime, and barriers to physical activity.
Author(s): Stephanie B. Jilcott Pitts, Thomas C. Keyserling, Larry F. Johnston, et al.
Citation: Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, 117(10), 1618-1627
Date: 10/2018
Type: Document
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The USDA Summer Food Service Program in Coös County, New Hampshire: Perspectives of Site Sponsors, Program Managers, and Staff on Program Implementation and Operation
Provides a case study of a rural program that provides free lunches to school-age children in the summer. Focuses on how the program works and reports on the experiences of those working with the program. Includes data on food insecurity for children in the U.S. and New Hampshire and an overview of USDA school food programs.
Author(s): Jean Bessette
Date: 10/2018
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Carsey School of Public Policy
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Prevalence of Food Insecurity Varied by Household Characteristics in 2017
Bar chart showing low food security and very low food security by household characteristics, including location in a principal city, suburban, or rural area.
Date: 10/2018
Type: Chart/Graph
Sponsoring organization: USDA Economic Research Service
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Migrant Farmworker Nutritional Strategies: Implications for Diabetes Management
Presents findings of interviews with 200 Latino migrant farmworkers in North Carolina on food security and means of obtaining, preparing, and consuming food. Identifies common supports and barriers of dietary self-management and provides data on population characteristics. Highlights implications for migrant farmworkers with diabetes, and identifies strategies for improving access to suitable food.
Author(s): Sara A. Quandt, Augusta Groeschel-Johnson, Hannah Kinzer, et al.
Citation: Journal of Agromedicine, 23(4), 347-354
Date: 09/2018
Type: Document
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Body Mass Index Category Moderates the Relationship Between Depressive Symptoms and Diet Quality in Overweight and Obese Rural-Dwelling Adults.
Examines questionnaire responses from adults in rural Kentucky to determine whether overall diet quality varies according to body mass index (BMI) category and presence of depressive symptoms in people with or at increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Contains data comparing healthy eating habits among depressed and non-depressed individuals who are overweight or obese, including breakdowns by age, sex, race/ethnicity, marital status, education, comorbidities, and other characteristics.
Author(s): Demetrius Abshire, Terry Lennie, Misook Chung, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 34(4), 377-387
Date: 09/2018
Type: Document
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