Evaluation of Demonstrations to End Childhood Hunger - CN DietQual

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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The 2010 Child Nutrition Reauthorization provided funding to test innovative strategies to end childhood hunger and food insecurity. Demonstration projects were funded in Chickasaw Nation, Kentucky, Navajo Nation, Nevada, and Virginia. This study focuses on Chickasaw Nation and the diet quality of child participants. School districts were matched, and then one was randomly assigned to either a treatment (n=20) or control group (n=20). Treatment households received one food box per eligible child, per month, delivered to the household, which contained (1) shelf-stable foods, including 6 protein-rich items, 2 dairy items, 4 grain foods, 4 cans of fruit, and 12 cans of vegetables; (2) a nutrition education handout (e.g., a recipe); and (3) a $15 Fresh Check for frozen or fresh fruits and vegetables that participants could redeem at any of 38 Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC)-authorized stores or farmers' markets in the study counties. Control households did not receive the treatment benefits but still could participate in other available nutrition assistance programs.

Detailed Description
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Objective: To reduce childhood food insecurity and hunger, increase families' consumption of nutritious foods, increase the diversity of foods in the home, and ultimately improve diet quality and well-being among children. Target Population: 40 school districts (115 schools) in 12 counties within the Chickasaw Nation territory in Oklahoma. Within these districts, households with school-age children (both Native American and non-Native American) who were eligible for free school meals or attended a school that participated in the community eligibility provision were eligible to participate in the project. Intervention School districts were matched, and then one was randomly assigned to either a treatment (n=20) or control group (n=20). Treatment households received one food box per eligible child, per month, delivered to the household, which contained (1) shelf-stable foods, including 6 protein-rich items, 2 dairy items, 4 grain foods, 4 cans of fruit, and 12 cans of vegetables; (2) a nutrition education handout (e.g., a recipe); and (3) a $15 Fresh Check for frozen or fresh fruits and vegetables that participants could redeem at any of 38 Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC)-authorized stores or farmers' markets in the study counties. Control households did not receive the treatment benefits but still could participate in other available nutrition assistance programs.

Official Title
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Evaluation of Demonstrations to End Childhood Hunger - CN DietQual

Conditions
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Diet, Healthy

Intervention / Treatment
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* Other: Packed Promise Demonstration Benefits


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: 40 school districts (115 schools) in 12 counties within the Chickasaw Nation territory in Oklahoma. Within these districts, households with school-age children (both Native American and non-Native American) who were eligible for free National School Lunch Program meals or attended a school that participated in the community eligibility provision were eligible to participate in the project.

Ages Eligible for Study
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Minimum Age: 4 Years
Maximum Age: 18 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
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All

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
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Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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Design Details

Primary Purpose: Treatment
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: None (Open Label)


Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| Experimental: Packed Promise Demonstration Benefits<br>Treatment households (n=2,143) received one food box per eligible child, per month, delivered to the household, which contained (1) shelf-stable foods, including 6 protein-rich items, 2 dairy items, 4 grain foods, 4 cans of fruit, and 12 cans of vegetables; (2) a nutrition education handout (e.g., a recipe); and (3) a $15 Fresh Check for frozen or fresh fruits and vegetables that participants could redeem at any of 38 Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC)-authorized stores or farmers' markets in the study counties. | Other: Packed Promise Demonstration Benefits<br>* Monthly: Home-delivered food box, nutrition education handout, and $15 monthly voucher for fruits and vegetables<br>|
| No Intervention: Control Group<br>Control households (n=2,607) did not receive the treatment benefits but still could participate in other available nutrition assistance programs. | |

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Daily consumed fruits and vegetables | The dietary measures used the food frequency questions developed for the 2009-2010 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) Dietary Screener Questionnaire. For these questions, parents or guardians were asked how often (per day, per week, or per month) a randomly selected child (age 2 or older) in the household consumed food and beverages from 19 categories during the last 30 days. The National Cancer Institute's (NCI's) Dietary Screener Questionnaire data processing and scoring procedures were used to convert parent and caregiver reports of their child's daily, weekly, and monthly consumption into standardized daily amounts. Higher scores indicate higher consumption of the food item. | 30 Days | 
| Daily consumed whole grains | The dietary measures used the food frequency questions developed for the 2009-2010 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) Dietary Screener Questionnaire. For these questions, parents or guardians were asked how often (per day, per week, or per month) a randomly selected child (age 2 or older) in the household consumed food and beverages from 19 categories during the last 30 days. The National Cancer Institute's (NCI's) Dietary Screener Questionnaire data processing and scoring procedures were used to convert parent and caregiver reports of their child's daily, weekly, and monthly consumption into standardized daily amounts. Higher scores indicate higher consumption of the food item. | 30 Days | 
| Daily consumed added sugars | The dietary measures used the food frequency questions developed for the 2009-2010 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) Dietary Screener Questionnaire. For these questions, parents or guardians were asked how often (per day, per week, or per month) a randomly selected child (age 2 or older) in the household consumed food and beverages from 19 categories during the last 30 days. The National Cancer Institute's (NCI's) Dietary Screener Questionnaire data processing and scoring procedures were used to convert parent and caregiver reports of their child's daily, weekly, and monthly consumption into standardized daily amounts. Higher scores indicate higher consumption of the food item. | 30 Days | 

Secondary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Food shopping frequency | Number of times went food shopping | 30 Days | 
| Type of grocery store used | Types of grocery stores visited to purchase food | 30 Days | 
| Distance traveled from home to grocery stores | Distance in miles from home to grocery store where food purchsed | 30 Days | 
| Number of family dinners per week | Number of family dinners per week | 30 Days | 

 Terms related to the study
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Keywords Provided by Centre Hospitalier Valida
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Diet quality, Children, Fruit and vegetable voucher, Food box, Nutrition assistance