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Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Food security and nutrition

See Me, Hear Me, Know Me: Perspectives on Diet and Physical Activity Influences among Teens Living in Rural Texas Communities
Surveyed 40 pairs of rural Texas parents and teens to understand how teens perceive living in a rural community impacts diet and exercise choices. Discusses the role of the family, nutrition at home, access to healthy foods, and more.
Author(s): Debbe Thompson, Julie Miranda, Chishinga Callender, et al
Citation: Nutrients, 15(21), 4695
Date: 11/2023
Type: Document
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The U.S. Playbook to Address Social Determinants of Health
Provides an overview of social determinants of health (SDOH) and the links between SDOH and health outcomes. Describes federal actions to date to address SDOH and outlines a set of framework actions that federal agencies are undertaking to support health by improving the social circumstances of individuals and communities. Highlights federal programs, toolkits, and guidance that front-line workers and organizations can use to improve the delivery of health and social services. Includes rural and tribal references throughout.
Date: 11/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: The White House
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Food Insecurity in the Appalachian Region
Reports on food insecurity in Appalachia, comparing regional and national trends and identifying contributing factors. Discusses the impacts of food insecurity on health, and profiles initiatives contributing to food security. Appendix C provides tables comparing data, with breakdowns by level of rurality, on topics including childhood food insecurity, households receiving SNAP benefits, low food access, low income population, and more.
Date: 11/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Appalachian Regional Commission
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National and State Level Estimates of WIC Eligibility and Program Reach in 2021, Final Report, Volume 1
Compares eligibility versus participation in Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) benefits in 2021 using Community Population Survey Annual Social and Economic Supplement (CPS-ASEC), American Community Survey (ACS), and National Vital Statistics data. Discusses trends over time for infants and pregnant women as well as by breastfeeding status, race and ethnicity, Medicaid participation, urbanicity. Includes state and regional comparisons.
Additional links: Appendices, Volume 2, Summary
Author(s): Courtenay Kessler, Andrew Bryant, Kate Munkacsy, Kelsey Farson Gray
Date: 11/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: USDA Food and Nutrition Service
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Advancing Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion in United States Nutrition Programs: A Scoping Review
Highlights disparities in diet-related disease and food insecurity among disadvantaged groups and provides a scoping review of federal, state, and local food nutrition programs that address equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI). Analyzes 46 sources describing EDI strategies focused on issues such as program design, food justice and access, workforce needs, and more. Includes programs that work with rural populations.
Author(s): Bailey Houghtaling, Mayra Crespo-Bellido, Shelly Palmer, et al.
Date: 10/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organizations: Gretchen Swanson Center for Nutrition, No Kid Hungry
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2023 Survey of Rural Families and Summer Meal Service
Provides feedback from rural families regarding their use of summer meal services based on accessibility, transportation options, and location of meal site. Includes survey data focused on food access, grocery costs, congregate or non-congregate meal preference, factors related to meal pickup preferences, and travel concerns.
Additional links: Microreport, Slides
Date: 10/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: No Kid Hungry
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Rural Child Hunger Summit 2023
Provides the presentations from the 2023 Rural Child Hunger Summit, with a focus on best practices and innovative solutions from experts invested in addressing food access for rural children. Includes videos of the presentations and their corresponding slide decks as well as information on the presenters.
Date: 10/2023
Type: Website
Sponsoring organization: No Kid Hungry
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Household Food Security in the United States in 2022
Reports on household food security, food expenditures, and use of federal food and nutrition assistance programs in 2022. Includes food insecurity statistics for metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas. Discusses the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on nutrition programs usage.
Additional links: Recorded Webinar, Report Summary, Statistical Supplement
Author(s): Matthew P. Rabbitt, Laura J. Hales, Michael P. Burke, Alisha Coleman-Jensen
Date: 10/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: USDA Economic Research Service
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Rural–Urban Differences in Overweight and Obesity, Physical Activity, and Food Security Among Children and Adolescents
Examines the relationship among food security, physical activity, and overweight or obesity in rural and urban children. Analyzes 2019-2020 National Survey of Children's Health data of children aged 10-17 according to body mass index (BMI), physical activity, and food security, with data broken down by demographic variables and rural versus urban location.
Author(s): Elizabeth Crouch, Demetrius A. Abshire, Michael D. Wirth, Peiyin Hung, Gabriel A. Benavidez
Citation: Preventing Chronic Disease, 20
Date: 10/2023
Type: Document
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The State of Obesity: Creating Pathways to a Healthier America Livestream Event
A recorded livestream event that focuses on The State of Obesity 2023: Better Policies for a Healthier America report. Discusses federal policy and strategy to address nutrition and wellness, diet-related disease, and obesity prevention programs. Includes information specific to rural areas. Transcript available under video description.
Author(s): Will McIntee, James "Jim" Jones, Caree Cotwright, et al.
Date: 10/2023
Type: Video/Multimedia
Sponsoring organization: Trust for America's Health
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