Household Food Sourcing Patterns and Their Associations With Food Insecurity in Appalachian Ohio

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Rural Health
• Food Security Studies

Background:

• Food insecurity is a significant public health issue, particularly in rural areas.
• Households facing food insecurity often employ dynamic strategies to obtain food.
• The link between food sourcing behaviors and food security in rural settings remains understudied.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify distinct food sourcing patterns among households in rural Appalachian Ohio.
• To examine the association between identified food sourcing patterns and food security status.
• To analyze these patterns during the COVID-19 pandemic period (July 2020-April 2021).

Main Methods:

• Survey data collected quarterly from 663 households in Athens County, OH.
• Principal component analysis identified food sourcing patterns (e.g., Convenience Stores and Charitable Food; Supermarkets and Farmers Markets).
• Linear mixed models assessed changes in sourcing behaviors and differences based on food security status.

Main Results:

• Two primary food sourcing patterns emerged: 'Convenience Stores and Charitable Food' and 'Supermarkets and Farmers Markets, not Supercenters'.
• Food-insecure households showed greater alignment with the 'Convenience Stores and Charitable Food' pattern compared to food-secure households.
• Sourcing behaviors shifted over time, with increased alignment to 'Supermarkets and Farmers Markets' in October 2020 and decreased alignment to 'Convenience Stores and Charitable Food' in April 2021.

Conclusions:

• Food-insecure households in rural Appalachian Ohio predominantly utilized convenience stores and charitable food sources.
• Findings support targeted interventions to enhance access to nutritious, affordable foods at these frequented venues.
• Understanding dynamic food sourcing behaviors is crucial for addressing rural food insecurity.