Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Food security and nutrition
Optimizing Access to Fruits and Vegetables in Rural Communities: A Decision-Making Model for the Placement of Produce Markets
Examines fruits and vegetables (FV) access in rural communities and the systems that support FV markets. Analyzes policy, systems, and environmental (PSE) change interventions in a rural Texas community and the impact on driving distance to FV markets, service capacity, and financial resources of the community. Discusses the effect of 27 different interventions, provides related data, and includes suggestions on how PSE changes can support improved nutrition.
Author(s): Eduardo Pérez, Cassandra M. Johnson, Yan Li, José A. Pagán
Citation: PLoS One, 20(9), e0331545
Date: 09/2025
view details
Examines fruits and vegetables (FV) access in rural communities and the systems that support FV markets. Analyzes policy, systems, and environmental (PSE) change interventions in a rural Texas community and the impact on driving distance to FV markets, service capacity, and financial resources of the community. Discusses the effect of 27 different interventions, provides related data, and includes suggestions on how PSE changes can support improved nutrition.
Author(s): Eduardo Pérez, Cassandra M. Johnson, Yan Li, José A. Pagán
Citation: PLoS One, 20(9), e0331545
Date: 09/2025
view details
Co-Creating Non-Congregate Summer Meals: Engaging Your Community to Design Your Program
Examines collaborative processes to create successful non-congregate summer meal programs in rural communities. Discusses a pilot program in Florida and offers suggestions related to meal sites, activities for children, caregiver appreciation, and more.
Date: 09/2025
Sponsoring organization: No Kid Hungry
view details
Examines collaborative processes to create successful non-congregate summer meal programs in rural communities. Discusses a pilot program in Florida and offers suggestions related to meal sites, activities for children, caregiver appreciation, and more.
Date: 09/2025
Sponsoring organization: No Kid Hungry
view details
Income, Healthy Food Availability, and Consumption Mediate Rural–Urban Health Disparities
Discusses rural versus urban health disparities and how healthy food availability and consumption mediate disparities. Utilizes national and state-level survey data from Oregon residents regarding their self-reported income, perceived fruit and vegetable (FV) availability, FV consumption, and health status, analyzing their associated mediating effect on rural health disparities.
Author(s): Benjamin J Smith, A Janet Tomiyama, Deborah H John, Bryan Mantell, Elliot T Berkman
Citation: International Journal of Behavioral Medicine, 32(6), 939-952
Date: 08/2025
view details
Discusses rural versus urban health disparities and how healthy food availability and consumption mediate disparities. Utilizes national and state-level survey data from Oregon residents regarding their self-reported income, perceived fruit and vegetable (FV) availability, FV consumption, and health status, analyzing their associated mediating effect on rural health disparities.
Author(s): Benjamin J Smith, A Janet Tomiyama, Deborah H John, Bryan Mantell, Elliot T Berkman
Citation: International Journal of Behavioral Medicine, 32(6), 939-952
Date: 08/2025
view details
Building Healthier Rural Communities: Economic Development Districts Address Social Determinants of Health
Report outlining social determinants of health (SDOH) in rural areas and how Economic Development Districts (EDD) address them. Highlights workforce, infrastructure, food security, health, disaster preparedness, funding, data, and public-private partnerships. Includes a case study from an EDD in North Carolina and highlights the role of hospitals in the community.
Date: 08/2025
Sponsoring organizations: Economic Development District Community of Practice, National Association of Development Organizations
view details
Report outlining social determinants of health (SDOH) in rural areas and how Economic Development Districts (EDD) address them. Highlights workforce, infrastructure, food security, health, disaster preparedness, funding, data, and public-private partnerships. Includes a case study from an EDD in North Carolina and highlights the role of hospitals in the community.
Date: 08/2025
Sponsoring organizations: Economic Development District Community of Practice, National Association of Development Organizations
view details
The Impact of Nutrition Training Programs on Knowledge, Confidence, and Behavioral Intention Among School Nutrition Professionals
Examines training programs for rural school nutrition professionals (SNPs) that include flexible scheduling and considerations related to staff and resource shortages. Utilizes observational data and pre- and post-training evaluations to analyze SNP knowledge and confidence to implement new culinary behaviors after the virtual and in-person flexible training format.
Author(s): Wenhao Zhang, Brianna Routh, Molly Stenberg, Haley Scott
Citation: Journal of School Health, 95(11), 924-932
Date: 08/2025
view details
Examines training programs for rural school nutrition professionals (SNPs) that include flexible scheduling and considerations related to staff and resource shortages. Utilizes observational data and pre- and post-training evaluations to analyze SNP knowledge and confidence to implement new culinary behaviors after the virtual and in-person flexible training format.
Author(s): Wenhao Zhang, Brianna Routh, Molly Stenberg, Haley Scott
Citation: Journal of School Health, 95(11), 924-932
Date: 08/2025
view details
Using Implementation Strategies to Promote the Maintenance Of Kids SIPsmartER In Rural Appalachian Middle Schools: A Process Evaluation
Examines implementation data from the Kids SIPsmartER nutrition behavioral intervention, which was implemented in 12 rural Appalachian middle schools. Utilizes data from 24 teachers and 11 principals to examine intervention fidelity, delivery, perceptions, and student impact. Discusses the importance of implementation evaluation and the scalability of evidence-based behavioral interventions (EBBIs) in schools.
Author(s): Kathleen J. Porter, Annie L. Reid, Theresa Markwalter, et al.
Citation: BMC Public Health, 25, 2324
Date: 07/2025
view details
Examines implementation data from the Kids SIPsmartER nutrition behavioral intervention, which was implemented in 12 rural Appalachian middle schools. Utilizes data from 24 teachers and 11 principals to examine intervention fidelity, delivery, perceptions, and student impact. Discusses the importance of implementation evaluation and the scalability of evidence-based behavioral interventions (EBBIs) in schools.
Author(s): Kathleen J. Porter, Annie L. Reid, Theresa Markwalter, et al.
Citation: BMC Public Health, 25, 2324
Date: 07/2025
view details
Cost-Effectiveness of the Rural Lifestyle Eating and Activity Program (Rural LEAP)
Analyzes the cost-effectiveness of telephone-based coaching sessions after participation in a weight loss intervention, utilizing data from a trial conducted from 2013-2018 in rural Florida counties. Discusses the importance of delivering cost-effective treatment for obesity in rural areas.
Author(s): Tiffany A. Radcliff, Murray J. Côté, Meena N. Shankar, et al.
Citation: PLoS One, 20(7), e0326383
Date: 07/2025
view details
Analyzes the cost-effectiveness of telephone-based coaching sessions after participation in a weight loss intervention, utilizing data from a trial conducted from 2013-2018 in rural Florida counties. Discusses the importance of delivering cost-effective treatment for obesity in rural areas.
Author(s): Tiffany A. Radcliff, Murray J. Côté, Meena N. Shankar, et al.
Citation: PLoS One, 20(7), e0326383
Date: 07/2025
view details
Supporting Resilient Food Systems: Navigating Challenges in U.S. Rural Communities
Examines the resiliency of rural food systems during the COVID-19 pandemic. Utilizes interview data from 38 community members representing services in education, food, healthcare, family services, and the Cooperative Extension System who have connections to the food system. Explores how rural communities navigated partnerships, supports, pandemic challenges, and organizational issues to promote food sustainability.
Author(s): Brianna Routh, Yoshie Sano, Leah Pylate, et al.
Citation: Journal of Agriculture, Food Systems, and Community Development
Date: 07/2025
view details
Examines the resiliency of rural food systems during the COVID-19 pandemic. Utilizes interview data from 38 community members representing services in education, food, healthcare, family services, and the Cooperative Extension System who have connections to the food system. Explores how rural communities navigated partnerships, supports, pandemic challenges, and organizational issues to promote food sustainability.
Author(s): Brianna Routh, Yoshie Sano, Leah Pylate, et al.
Citation: Journal of Agriculture, Food Systems, and Community Development
Date: 07/2025
view details
Tennessee State Health Plan 2025: An Update to the 2024-2026 State Health Plan
Outlines how the Tennessee Department of Health is utilizing the actions identified in the State Health Plan to promote health in Tennessee. Features sections on nutritional security, maternal and infant health, chronic conditions, older adults, transportation, cancer screenings, and workforce.
Date: 07/2025
Sponsoring organization: Tennessee Department of Health
view details
Outlines how the Tennessee Department of Health is utilizing the actions identified in the State Health Plan to promote health in Tennessee. Features sections on nutritional security, maternal and infant health, chronic conditions, older adults, transportation, cancer screenings, and workforce.
Date: 07/2025
Sponsoring organization: Tennessee Department of Health
view details
Summer Food for Children: An Overview of Federal Aid
Provides an overview of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) Summer Food Service Program (SFSP). Highlights changes to the SFSP made in the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023, including the permanent authorization of the nationwide Summer Electronic Benefits Transfer (Summer EBT) Program for Children, and allowing Seamless Summer Option (SSO) sponsors to provide meals for off-site consumption to children in rural areas without access to congregate meal sites.
Date: 07/2025
Sponsoring organization: Congressional Research Service
view details
Provides an overview of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) Summer Food Service Program (SFSP). Highlights changes to the SFSP made in the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023, including the permanent authorization of the nationwide Summer Electronic Benefits Transfer (Summer EBT) Program for Children, and allowing Seamless Summer Option (SSO) sponsors to provide meals for off-site consumption to children in rural areas without access to congregate meal sites.
Date: 07/2025
Sponsoring organization: Congressional Research Service
view details