Beyond clinical food prescriptions and mobile markets: parent views on the role of a healthcare institution in increasing healthy eating in food insecure families.

Creator(s)

Emily DeWit, Children's Mercy HospitalFollow
Emily Meissen-Sebelius, Children's Mercy HospitalFollow
Robin P. Shook, Children's Mercy HospitalFollow
Kimberly Pina, Children's Mercy HospitalFollow
Evelyn Donis De Miranda, Children's Mercy HospitalFollow
Michelle J. Summar, Children's Mercy Hospital
Emily A. Hurley, Children's Mercy HospitalFollow

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

9-9-2020

Identifier

DOI: 10.1186/s12937-020-00616-x; PMCID: PMC7487727

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Children in food-insecure families face increased barriers to meeting recommendations for fruit and vegetable consumption. Hospitals and pediatric healthcare institutions have attempted to alleviate food-insecurity through various internal programs like food prescriptions, yet little evidence for these programs exist. Consistent with a patient-centered perspective, we sought to develop a comprehensive understanding of barriers to fruit and vegetable consumption and a parent-driven agenda for healthcare system action.

METHODS: We conducted six qualitative focus group discussions (four in English, two in Spanish) with 29 parents and caregivers of patients who had screened positive for food-insecurity during visits to a large pediatric healthcare system in a midwestern U.S. city. Our iterative analysis process consisted of audio-recording, transcribing and coding discussions, aiming to produce a) a conceptual framework of barriers to fruit and vegetable consumption and b) a synthesis of participant programmatic suggestions for their healthcare system.

RESULTS: Participants were 90% female, 38% Black/African American and 41% Hispanic/Latino. Barriers to fruit and vegetable consumption in their families fell into three intersecting themes: affordability, accessibility and desirability. Participant-generated intervention recommendations were multilevel, suggesting healthcare systems focus not only on clinic and community-based action, but also advocacy for broader policies that alleviate barriers to acquiring healthy foods.

CONCLUSION: Parents envision an expanded role for healthcare systems in ensuring their children benefit from a healthy diet. Findings offer critical insight on why clinic-driven programs aimed to address healthy eating may have failed and healthcare organizations may more effectively intervene by adopting a multilevel strategy.

Journal Title

Nutrition journal [electronic resource]

Volume

19

Issue

1

First Page

94

Last Page

94

Keywords

Food access; Food insecurity; Food prescription; Fruit and vegetable consumption; Mobile market; Pediatric primary care

Recommended Citation

DeWit EL, Meissen-Sebelius EM, Shook RP, et al. Beyond clinical food prescriptions and mobile markets: parent views on the role of a healthcare institution in increasing healthy eating in food insecure families. Nutr J. 2020;19(1):94. Published 2020 Sep 9. doi:10.1186/s12937-020-00616-x