(PTFS09-04-23) Food Resource Management and Healthy Eating Focus Associate With Diet Quality and Less Impact of COVID-19 on Body Weight in Adults From a Low-Income, Northeastern CT Community

Objectives: Low-income populations are at risk for poor diet quality and diet-related chronic disease. Food resource management skills can support obtaining healthy affordable food. We assessed relationships between food resource management practices, eating behaviors, diet quality, and body weight in adults from one low-income, low food access community in Northeastern CT during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods: Via online survey, 313 adults reported their food resource management practices and eating behaviors, food assistance participation, and pandemic impact on their eating and body weight. A modified Perceived Nutrition Environment Measures Survey assessed food resource management and eating behaviors. The short Healthy Eating Index (sHEI) assessed food consumption frequency and diet quality.

Results: The sample had race/ethnic diversity and good variability in sHEI. The cross-sectional analysis suggested that food resource management practices supported greater sHEI. Adults with greater sHEI rated their diet quality as healthier (p < 0.001) and significantly greater importance to the healthiness of their food (p < 0.01) and reading nutrition labels (p < 0.001) as well as greater food assistance participation (p < 0.01). During the pandemic, greater frequency of making grocery lists was associated with less frequent food shopping (p < 0.05) and eating out (p < 0.05). Increased importance of reading food labels was associated with less frequent consuming unhealthy foods (e.g., candy and snacks, p<0.0001) and sugary drinks (p < 0.05). Greater sHEI was associated with lower intake of candy and snacks (p < 0.05) and sugary drinks (p < 0.05), while very good to excellent rated diet quality was associated with greater fresh fruit and vegetable (p=0.057) and low-fat product (p < 0.05) intake. Adults who frequently read food labels (p < 0.05) and rated healthier quality diet (p < 0.05) experienced less COVID-related body weight gain.

Conclusions: The findings suggest that food resource management practices and healthy eating concern were important to diet quality and body weight management. Integrated food management and nutrition behavioral education may be effective to improve diet quality and prevent diet-related chronic disease among adults from low-income, low food access communities.

Funding Sources: UConn Nutritional Sciences Pilot Fund and USDA/NIFA/AFRI