| Literature DB >> 30003014 |
Valarie Blue Bird Jernigan1, Mary Williams1, Marianna Wetherill1, Tori Taniguchi1, Tvli Jacob1, Tamela Cannady2, Mandy Grammar2, Joy Standridge3, Jill Fox3, AnDina Wiley3, JoAnna Tingle3, Mary Riley3, Jennifer Spiegel3, Charlotte Love1, Carolyn Noonan4, Ashley Weedn1, Alicia L Salvatore1.
Abstract
In rural Native American communities, access to healthy foods is limited and diet-related disparities are significant. Tribally owned and operated convenience stores, small food stores that sell ready-to-eat foods and snacks primarily high in fat and sugar, serve as the primary and, in some areas, the only food stores. The Tribal Health and Resilience in Vulnerable Environments or "THRIVE" study, implemented between 2013 and 2018, is the first healthy retail intervention study implemented in tribally owned and operated convenience stores. THRIVE aims to increase vegetable and fruit intake among Native Americans living within the Chickasaw and Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma. The study comprises three phases: 1) formative research assessing tribal community food environments and associated health outcomes; 2) intervention development to assess convenience stores and tailor healthy retail product, pricing, promotion, and placement strategies; and 3) intervention implementation and evaluation. In this paper we share the participatory research process employed by our tribal-university partnership to develop this healthy retail intervention within the unique contexts of tribal convenience stores. We summarize our methods to engage tribal leaders across diverse health, government, and commerce sectors and adapt and localize intervention strategies that test the ability of tribal nations to increase fruit and vegetable purchasing and consumption among tribal members. Study processes will assist in developing a literature base for policy and environmental strategies that intervene broadly to improve Native community food environments and eliminate diet-related disparities among Native Americans.Entities:
Keywords: American Indian; Communitybased participatory research; Healthy retail; Native American; Obesity; Vegetable and fruit intake
Year: 2018 PMID: 30003014 PMCID: PMC6039850 DOI: 10.1016/j.pmedr.2018.06.012
Source DB: PubMed Journal: Prev Med Rep ISSN: 2211-3355
Perceived food environment, shopping behaviors, and vegetable and fruit intake among Native Americans in Oklahoma participating in the THRIVE study, 2013–2018 (N = 513).
| All participants | Nation A | Nation B | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| n | % | % | % | |
| Perceived food environment in their town | ||||
| Strongly agree/agree that it is easy to purchase fresh fruits and vegetables | 501 | 57 | 66 | 48 |
| Strongly agree/agree that there is a large selection of fresh fruits and vegetables | 503 | 43 | 53 | 33 |
| Strongly agree/agree that the fruits and vegetables in my town are of high quality | 502 | 35 | 44 | 27 |
| Strongly agree/agree that the cost of fruits and vegetables in my town is expensive | 503 | 56 | 56 | 57 |
| Strongly agree/agree that the cost of fruits of vegetables in my town has kept from buying them | 500 | 39 | 38 | 40 |
| Food shopping behaviors | ||||
| Shop for food one or more times per week at a convenience store or gas station | 495 | 65 | 65 | 66 |
| Primary food shopping location | 490 | |||
| Convenience/Dollar store | 10 | 5 | 16 | |
| Grocery store, Walmart, small market, farmers market | 16 | 20 | 12 | |
| Both types of stores | 74 | 75 | 72 | |
| Travel >20 miles round trip to shop for main groceries | 506 | 56 | 45 | 67 |
| Eat one or more meals per week at/from a convenience store or gas station | 499 | 49 | 50 | 49 |
| Fruit and vegetable consumption | ||||
| Fruit (including 100% fruit juice), meeting or exceeding recommended intake (2+ servings/day) | 509 | 44 | 52 | 36 |
| Vegetables (including 100% pure vegetable juice), meeting or exceeding recommended intake (3+ servings/day) | 511 | 25 | 31 | 20 |
| Food Insecurity | ||||
| In the last 12 months, the food we bought didn't last and we didn't have money to get more | 510 | |||
| Never true | 44 | 45 | 42 | |
| Sometimes true | 38 | 38 | 39 | |
| Often true | 18 | 17 | 20 | |
About 20 participants shopped monthly at all or many of the stores the survey asked about, which resulted in them primarily shopping nowhere according to our definition. In this case they were reclassified as shopping at both types of stores.
Healthier products included in the THRIVE intervention, 2013-2018a.
| Product | Nation A | Nation B |
|---|---|---|
| Snacks | ||
| Fruit | Apples | Apples (2 varieties) |
| Oranges | Oranges | |
| Bananas | Bananas | |
| Fruit cup quick packs (5 varieties) | Fruit cup quick packs (10 varieties) | |
| Apples with dipping sauce (2 varieties) | ||
| Vegetables | Vegetable quick packs (5 varieties) | Vegetable quick packs (1 variety) |
| Dill pickles | ||
| Pickled jalapenos | ||
| Low fat cheese sticks | Low fat cheese sticks | |
| Yogurt (3 varieties) | Yogurt (3 varieties) | |
| Boiled egg quick pack | ||
| Quail eggs (pickled) | ||
| Reduced fat milk (2 varieties) | ||
| Almond milk (2 varieties) | ||
| Nutrition bars | 11 varieties | 11 varieties |
| Nuts/seeds | 11 varieties | 26 varieties |
| Jerky (beef, turkey, and chicken) | 3 varieties | 16 varieties |
| Canned meats | Tuna | Tuna |
| Chicken | Chicken | |
| Beans | Hummus with pretzels (2 varieties) | |
| Grains | Cereal (2 varieties) | Cereal (7 varieties) |
| Oatmeal (3 varieties) | ||
| Baked chips/pretzels/chip alternatives | Kettle chips (5 varieties) | |
| Pretzel chips | ||
| Mini pretzels | ||
| Popped corn (packaged) | ||
| Snap peas (packaged) | ||
| Meals | Tuna kit (lunch to go with crackers) | Tuna kit (with crackers) |
| Chicken salad kit (with crackers) | ||
| Salads (3 varieties) | Salads (4 varieties) | |
| Sandwich (3 varieties) | ||
| Wraps (4 varieties) | ||
| Beverages | Water | Water |
| V8 (2 varieties) | V8 (9 varieties) | |
| Flavored vitamin water (low sugar) | ||
| Lemonade (light) |
Guided by NEMS criteria: ≤500 cal and 30% or fewer calories from fat for meals; ≤200 cal and 35% or fewer calories from fat for snacks (excluding nuts/seeds).
New foods not offered at stores prior to the intervention.
Healthy retail strategies and their implementation in tribal convenience stores in Oklahoma as part of the THRIVE study, 2013–2018a, b.
| Strategy | Implementation |
|---|---|
| Product | Increased availability, variety, and convenience (i.e., at least 10 new snack choices and 5 new meal choices) Packaged vegetable and fruit “quick packs” Tribe B expanded kitchen to prepare and serve these items in house |
| Placement | Large open air coolers were purchased and placed at store front entrances Fried food hot boxes removed and placed behind registers Endcap spaces “rented” and stocked with healthy foods |
| Promotion | Foods, shelves and coolers labeled Promotional signage (e.g., “fresh food destination,” “good and good for you,” etc.) placed above coolers |
| Pricing | Combination meal, snack, and bottled water offered at discount prices All meals and snacks priced at or below competing foods |
Guided by NEMS criteria: ≤500 cal and 30% or fewer calories from fat for meals; ≤200 cal and 35% or fewer calories from fat for snacks (excluding nuts/seeds).
Based upon Khan LK, Sobush K, Keener D, et al. Recommended community strategies and measurements to prevent obesity in the United States. US Department of Health & Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; 2009.