An intervention to support healthy eating by changing the home food environment among 2-1-1 clients
Abstract
Healthy eating is influenced by multi-level determinants from individual preferences to national food policy. Relatively few interventions target the home as a proximal environment with potential to shape adult dietary behavior. Using baseline and process evaluation data from a randomized controlled trial with four United Way 2-1-1 agencies in Georgia conducted from 2020 to 2023, this study describes home food environments, process measures (intervention dose by demographic characteristics, barriers to change), and results from the Healthy Homes/Healthy Families intervention.
The Healthy Homes/Healthy Families intervention consists of six coaching calls and six text messages, as well as a tailored home environment profile and goal setting toward three healthy actions to shape the home food environment over 12 weeks.
Study participants (n=510) were 43.4 years of age on average. The average household size was 3.2 persons, with 57.8% having at least one child in the home, and 22.1% living alone. 73.9% were food insecure, 81.6% identified as Black, and 91.6% were female. The majority reported annual household incomes ≤$25,000 per year. Among those randomized to the intervention, 63.3% completed all six coaching calls. The mean baseline Healthy Eating Index (HEI-2015), calculated from two 24-hour dietary recalls, was 51.9 (SD=12.6), and associated with several dimensions of the home food environment, including home food inventories, food placement, meal preparation, limiting restaurant food for family meals, frequency of shopping for fruit and vegetables, and owning a scale. Preliminary results suggest multiple positive outcomes from the intervention.
The home is an important environment for shaping dietary behavior. A program focused on the home, such as HH/HF, has potential to improve nutritional outcomes.
Keywords
Nutrition, Healthy eating, Home environment, Dietary behavior
An intervention to support healthy eating by changing the home food environment among 2-1-1 clients
Healthy eating is influenced by multi-level determinants from individual preferences to national food policy. Relatively few interventions target the home as a proximal environment with potential to shape adult dietary behavior. Using baseline and process evaluation data from a randomized controlled trial with four United Way 2-1-1 agencies in Georgia conducted from 2020 to 2023, this study describes home food environments, process measures (intervention dose by demographic characteristics, barriers to change), and results from the Healthy Homes/Healthy Families intervention.
The Healthy Homes/Healthy Families intervention consists of six coaching calls and six text messages, as well as a tailored home environment profile and goal setting toward three healthy actions to shape the home food environment over 12 weeks.
Study participants (n=510) were 43.4 years of age on average. The average household size was 3.2 persons, with 57.8% having at least one child in the home, and 22.1% living alone. 73.9% were food insecure, 81.6% identified as Black, and 91.6% were female. The majority reported annual household incomes ≤$25,000 per year. Among those randomized to the intervention, 63.3% completed all six coaching calls. The mean baseline Healthy Eating Index (HEI-2015), calculated from two 24-hour dietary recalls, was 51.9 (SD=12.6), and associated with several dimensions of the home food environment, including home food inventories, food placement, meal preparation, limiting restaurant food for family meals, frequency of shopping for fruit and vegetables, and owning a scale. Preliminary results suggest multiple positive outcomes from the intervention.
The home is an important environment for shaping dietary behavior. A program focused on the home, such as HH/HF, has potential to improve nutritional outcomes.
