Browsing by Author "Yaroch, Amy L."

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Fruits and vegetables as a healthier snack throughout the day among families with older children: Findings from a survey of parent-child dyads
(2015-04) Smith, Teresa M.; Pinard, Courtney A.; Byker Shanks, Carmen; Wethington, Holly; Blanck, Heidi M.; Yaroch, Amy L.
Most U.S. youth fail to eat the recommended amount of fruits and vegetables (FV) however many consume too many calories as added sugars and solid fats, often as snacks. The aim of this study was to assess factors associated with serving FV as snacks and with meals using parent–child dyads. A cross-sectional sample of U.S. children aged 9 to 18, and their caregiver/parent (n = 1522) were part of a Consumer Panel of households for the 2008 YouthStyles mail survey. Chi-square test of independence and multivariable logistic regression were used to assess associations between serving patterns of FV as snacks with variations in serving patterns, and covariates including dietary habits. Most parents (72%) reported serving FV at meals and as snacks. Fruit was most frequently served as a snack during the day (52%) and vegetables were most frequently served as a snack during the day (22%) but rarely in the morning. Significant differences in child FV intake existed among FV as a snack serving patterns by parents. Compared to children whose parents served FV only at meals, children whose parents reported serving FV as snacks in addition to meals were significantly more likely to have consumed FV the day before (using a previous day screener), P < 0.05. Contributing to the growing collection of literature describing parent–child dyad dietary behaviors, these findings suggest promoting FV access and intake throughout the day, not only at meals, by including serving as snacks, may increase FV intake among older children and adolescents.
Influences on Food Away from Home Feeding Practices Among English and Spanish Speaking Parent–Child Dyads
(2014-07-18) Pinard, Courtney A.; Byker Shanks, Carmen; Harden, Samantha M.; Carpenter, Leah R.; Serrano, Elena L.; Schober, Daniel J.; Yaroch, Amy L.
One contributor to increased caloric consumption and obesity rates is food consumed away from home. Families are increasingly consuming food away from home (FAFH), contributing to increased daily energy consumption and the obesity epidemic. The interplay between feeding styles and co-decision making between parent and child dyads when eating FAFH is not understood. The present study describes in-depth qualitative information about influential factors related to family feeding practices among low-income English and Spanish speaking families with school-aged children when eating FAFH. 20 parent–child dyads (10 English-speaking, 10 Spanish-speaking) completed key-informant interviews about factors related to family feeding practices when eating food away. Interviews were independently coded for meaning units by two coders. Themes that emerged from the interviews included: decision making when dining out, parental practices and feeding style, use of and opinions about kid’s menus, and overall influences on food choices. Many parents had recommendations for healthier kid’s menu options and overall, Spanish-speaking families tended to eat out fewer times a week and cooked more family meals. This research elucidated rules and policies set by parents around food away from and inside the home as well as the factors that influenced ordering at restaurants. Further studies should explore the cultural value of food in Latino cultures, and the resultant dietary behaviors. Decision-making between parent and child dyads about menu ordering at restaurants is complex. The results of this study can be considered for future research in understanding the decision-making process for English- and Spanish-speaking parent–child dyads when ordering from a restaurant menu.
An integrative literature review of small food store research across urban and rural communities in the U.S.
(2016-06) Pinard, Courtney A.; Byker Shanks, Carmen; Harden, Samantha M.; Yaroch, Amy L.
Objective: The purpose of this review was to identify how rural and urban food access differs across small food stores as well as the types of research strategies and methodologies that have been applied in each setting in the U.S. Methods: Manuscripts were included in the review if they were published in English over the past ten years, with a clear delineation between urban and/or rural, conducted in the U.S., and reported data from small food store research. Results: After elimination, 19 manuscripts representing rural (n = 5) and urban (n = 14) settings were included in the final review. The review was conducted in Nebraska between January 2015 and May 2015. Findings from the reviewed manuscripts revealed that rural communities might face different challenges with healthy food access in small food stores when compared to urban settings. In particular, small food stores in rural areas lacked healthy food options largely because storeowners perceived that their customers would not purchase healthier items and due to challenges with distribution. Conversely, studies reporting on small food stores in urban areas suggest challenges with transportation and safety concerns. Conclusion: Research on small food stores is nascent and further research, especially intervention studies, is needed. Further, less evidence exists on healthy food access, in particular intervention testing on small food store research in rural areas.
New NSLP Guidelines: Challenges and Opportunities for Nutrition Education Practitioners and Researchers
(2013-11) Byker Shanks, Carmen; Pinard, Courtney A.; Yaroch, Amy L.; Serrano, Elena L.
The recent revisions of the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) requirements are designed to align with the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. The introduction and implementation of the new NSLP has been received with positive and negative reactions from school food professionals, students, parents, and teachers. To promote student health, this is an important time for policy makers, practitioners, and researchers to implement and evaluate strategies to support the new NSLP guidelines. The purpose of this viewpoint was to outline the new NSLP guidelines and discuss challenges and opportunities for implementation, strategies for practice, and future research questions.
The UnProcessed Pantry Project Framework to Address Nutrition in the Emergency Food System
(2019-09) Byker Shanks, Carmen; Weinmann, Emma; Holder, Jill; McCormick, Michael; Parks, Courtney A.; Vanderwood, Karl; Coburn, Christopher; Johnson, Nick; Yaroch, Amy L.
Low-income populations suffer a greater burden of chronic diseases and food insecurity, are more likely to consume ultraprocessed food, and are less likely to meet dietary recommendations than the general population.1,2 Ultraprocessed food is manipulated with artificial ingredients and can be high in sodium, caloric sweeteners, and saturated fats and, thus, has deleterious health effects.3 The NOVA framework, created by Monteiro and colleagues,3 is commonly applied to public health research to characterize food processing at different levels (unprocessed, minimally processed, processed culinary ingredients, processed, ultraprocessed).3 In the United States, ultraprocessed food typically is accessible, affordable, and convenient, whereas minimally processed food typically is more difficult to access, expensive, and less convenient.1,4 Over time, the availability of ultraprocessed food has increased across the global food supply and in the diets of individuals worldwide, especially among low-income popualations.