Graduate Thesis Or Dissertation
 

Food Security and Alternative Food Acquisition Strategies Among Low-Income U.S. Households: A Social-Ecological Approach

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https://ir.library.oregonstate.edu/concern/graduate_thesis_or_dissertations/70795g12r

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  • Household food availability is comprised of both food purchases and foods obtained from alternative sources, like social networks, community services, and household food production. While the food available at home is associated with eating behaviors, diet quality, and health outcomes of children and adults, the literature on food acquisition of low-income households largely focuses on foods obtained from retail stores or federal food assistance. Specifically, the literature on alternative food acquisition is scarce. To address this gap, I used a mixed-methods approach to broadly examine the role of alternative food acquisition strategies in aiding low-income households to meet their food needs. Using epidemiological methods, I conducted two studies examining nationally representative data from the National Food Acquisition and Purchase Survey (FoodAPS). Using a modified grounded theory approach, I conducted and analyzed in-depth interviews with Mexican-origin agricultural workers in Oregon. In exploring the prevalence of alternative food acquisition, the first study found that the majority of households (69%) acquired foods from alternative sources. Additionally, very low food security was strongly associated with accessing community food sources. The second study showed that households acquired an average of 22% of weekly total calories from community, social network, or household food production sources. For households that used alternative sources, these foods contributed a large percentage of fruit and vegetables to the total available food. The final study describes the dynamics among the structural context, cultural and experiential lenses, and perceived needs and resources in determining Mexican-origin agricultural workers’ agency to acquire no-cost food from various sources. Perceived opportunities in their structural context, cultural norms regarding the social acceptability of food production and food exchange networks, social expectations regarding work and food sharing, past hardships, and dissatisfaction with community food programs all contribute to their decisions to seek food resources. These three studies provide evidence that the multiple vulnerabilities and assets that often characterize low-income households’ food insecurity experiences shape the strategies they used to make ends meet. Alternative food acquisition strategies generally function as assets, but are not universally sought or preferred. Further, they provide varying quality and quantity of food to households’ total food availability. Results from these studies highlight the need for additional research to further understand how alternative sources contribute to low-income households’ food supply in different contexts and whether strengthening formal and informal food safety nets could improve both food security and dietary quality among low-income households.
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  • Pending Publication
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  • 2020-08-09 to 2022-09-09

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