Date of Award:

5-2016

Document Type:

Thesis

Degree Name:

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Department:

Nutrition, Dietetics, and Food Sciences

Committee Chair(s)

Carrie Durward

Committee

Carrie Durward

Committee

Heidi Wengreen

Committee

Ron Munger

Committee

Martha Archuleta

Committee

Julie Gast

Abstract

Public health professionals in the United States are implementing various interventions in effort to improve dietary intake in low-income individuals. One intervention strategy that has gained attention over the past several years is providing financial incentives for federal nutrition assistance users when they purchase fruit and vegetables at local farmers' markets. The overall objective of the research studies included in this dissertation were to develop, implement, and evaluate farmers' market incentive programs in Utah in effort to determine if this intervention increases fruit and vegetable intake and improves food security status among low-income individuals.

The first study conducted in the Healthy Eating for Life study assessed the feasibility of implementing and evaluating a farmers' market incentive program and to determine the utilization of benefits among individuals receiving incentives. Results of this study show that there was a slight but not significant increase in carotenoid levels among most intervention groups. Additionally, there was greater participation in the farmers' market incentive program and an increase in the amount of incentives utilized among participants who were not required to match Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits to receive the incentives. Individual interviews were conducted with participants of Healthy Eating for Life for the second study. Participants were asked about their experiences with receiving farmers' market incentives after receiving the intervention for 8-weeks. Results of this study confirm that farmers' market incentives help reduce common barriers to purchasing fruit and vegetables allowing participants and their families to consume more produce during the study period.

Double Up Food Bucks is a farmer's market incentive program that was implemented at the Downtown Farmers' Market in Salt Lake City. Individuals at one farmers' market were surveyed before and four-weeks after receiving the matching incentives to determine changes in fruit and vegetable intake and food security status among each individual. Although there was not a significant change in the intake of most fruit and vegetables, food security status of participants did significantly improve.

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