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Title: 'TELLING IT LIKE IT IS': COMPREHENSIVE ASSESSMENT OF RURAL COMMUNITIES FOR FOOD AND NUTRITION INTERVENTION PLANNING

Author
item Bogle, Margaret
item STRICKLAND, EARLINE - DELTA NIRI
item YADRICK, KATHY - DELTA NIRI
item CHAMPAGNE, CATHERINE - DELTA NIRI
item MCGEE, BERNESTINE - DELTA NIRI
item CASEY, PATRICK - DELTA NIRI
item McCabe Sellers, Beverly

Submitted to: Meeting Proceedings
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/1/2004
Publication Date: 11/6/2004
Citation: Bogle, M.L., Strickland, E., Yadrick, K., Champagne, C., Mcgee, B., Casey, P., Mccabe Sellers, B.J. 2004. 'Telling it like it is': Comprehensive assessment of rural communities for food and nutrition intervention planning. Meeting Proceedings.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Establishing effective and sustainable community-based food and nutrition interventions first requires a comprehensive assessment of community resources, food intake, food accessibility, food security, and barriers. The Lower Mississippi Delta Nutrition Intervention Research Initiative (NIRI) has conducted comprehensive rural community assessment through five surveys: Key Informant Survey, Foods of Our Delta Survey (FOODS 2000), Food Store Survey, Focus Groups, and Community Resources Assessment. The FOODS 2000 survey was the first representative cross-sectional dietary survey of the Lower Mississippi region of Arkansas, Louisiana, and Mississippi. This survey of more than 1500 Southerners was followed by in-store survey of 174 stores supermarkets, small-medium grocery stores, and convenience stores that identifies the problems of access to and quality of foods in this high health risk, low-income region. A series of three focus groups were held in nine counties and parishes to identify barriers to improving food choices, food security, and shopping practices. Three communities were chosen to establish three local NIRI organizations. Within each community a survey was made of existing agencies and programs. These provide the background against which community based participatory research was implemented using the Community Participatory Planning and Evaluation (CPPE) model. These steps have provided significant insights into how these communities see their problems and dispel some commonly held misconceptions about food and nutrition in rural America.