The impact of SNAP-Ed interventions on California students’ diet and physical activity during COVID-19

Abstract

Objective: School-based CalFresh Healthy Living (CFHL) (California’s SNAP-Ed) interventions adapted to new learning environments necessitated by COVID-19. We examined the impact of these interventions on student diet and physical activity (PA) outcomes. Design: Quasi-experimental, two-group, pre-post. Setting: California public schools with ≥50% of students Free and Reduced Price Meal-eligible (nintervention=47; ncomparison=17). Participants: Fourth and fifth grade students who completed the online Eating and Activity Tool for Students at pre and post (nintervention=1,087; ncomparison=846 students). Results: Intervention students reported a significantly greater increase in consumption frequency of total fruit (by 0.16 times/day; p=0.032), driven primarily by a greater increase in 100% fruit juice (by 0.11 times/day; p=0.007). Intervention students reported a significantly greater increase in total vegetable consumption frequency (by 0.45 times/day; p<0.001) than comparison students. Specifically, intervention students reported increased, whereas comparison students reported decreased, consumption frequencies for starchy vegetables (0.05 vs. -0.10 times/day, p<0.001), salad/green vegetables (0.01 vs. -0.11 times/day, p=0.005), and beans (0.04 vs. -0.03 times/day, p=0.025). Consumption frequency of other vegetables decreased in both groups (-0.01 vs. -0.09 times/day) but decreased more among comparison students (p=0.048). No differences in pre-post change in PA outcomes were detected. Conclusions: Findings suggest that despite COVID-19-related challenges necessitating program modifications, CFHL interventions played a role in protecting student consumption of fruit and vegetables during the 2020-21 school year. Therefore, it appears that school-based CFHL interventions can be a viable means of safeguarding student nutrition at a time when access to nutritious food and PA opportunities are hindered.

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Education reductions during COVID-19 may have exacerbated health inequities

“…Communities with these characteristics were also at greater risk for COVID-19 infection and complications ( Cantor et al, 2020 ; CDC, 2022 ; Fitzpatrick et al, 2018 ; Hacker et al, 2021 ; Riley et al, 2021 ). Therefore, in the early months of the pandemic, pre-existing health inequities may have been exacerbated by unequal interruptions in SNAP-Ed interventions that improve dietary intake and are associated with improved food security and fitness ( Linares et al, 2023 ; Molitor & Doerr, 2021 ; Rivera et al, 2016 ; Thompson et al, 2020 ). The low R-square values suggest that the measured census-tract characteristics account for a small portion of the observed variation in intervention characteristic changes.…”

“…Studies have demonstrated positive SNAP-Ed outcomes including dietary intake, food security, and physical fitness ( Molitor & Doerr, 2021 ; Rivera et al, 2016 ; Thompson et al, 2020 ; Molitor et al, 2015 ). A recent study demonstrated that SNAP-Ed positively impacted dietary outcomes in California schoolchildren during COVID-19 ( Linares et al, 2023 ). The current study examines SNAP-Ed interventions funded through the ( ), and implemented by 60 local health departments (LHDs) in 57 of 58 California counties and three cities thereby reaching millions of Californians each year.…”

School Strategies on Improving Students’ Physical Activity Engagement During COVID-19 Pandemic Period: A Thematic Review

“…Makaracı et al (2023) concluded in their study that awareness on the positive effect of movement as well as on dietary recommendation is beneficial to students during COVID-19 era. Similarly, Linares et al, (2023) conducted their approach aiming students nutrition and inactivity. Their approach was tailored to the students' attributes regarding nutrition and being active.…”