title: Food assistance programs for children afford mixed dietary quality based on HEI-2010.
abstract: Backpack programs across the United States distribute easy-to-prepare foods in a backpack to potentially food-insecure students on Fridays to help reduce weekend hunger. This study used Healthy Eating Index 2010 (HEI-2010) to assess foods provided in Montana backpack programs. Healthy Eating Index 2010 measures compliance with the 2010 Dietary Guidelines and is a tool to assess the diet quality of foods provided in supplemental food assistance programs. We hypothesized that HEI-2010 scores would be of average dietary quality. One randomly selected menu was collected from each Montana backpack program (n = 5) from the 2011-2012 academic year. Each food provided was analyzed for diet quality using HEI-2010 to obtain component and total scores. Descriptive statistics and t tests were calculated to assess whether mean HEI-2010 component scores and total scores differed significantly (P < .05) from the maximum scores. The mean total score for HEI-2010 was significantly lower than the maximum score of 100 (58.65; SD, 15.59; P = .004). Analysis resulted in significantly lower mean scores for total vegetables (2.26; SD, 1.37; P = .011), greens and beans (0; SD, 0; P < .001), fatty acids (0; SD, 0; P < .001), and sodium (3.90; SD, 2.52; P = .006). Dietary quality of backpack programs may further improve with information sharing between programs about the availability of specific food group items. To better suit children's nutritional needs and increase HEI-2010 scores, researchers, practitioners, and the food industry should identify food options for the backpack program that are easy to prepare, appealing, and affordable.
authors.affiliation: Montana State University, Department of Health and Human Development, Bozeman, MT 59717.
authors.forename: Carmen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Byker
authors.affiliation: Gretchen Swanson Center for Nutrition, Omaha, NE 68114; Department of Health Promotion, Social & Behavioral Health, UNMC College of Public Health, University of Nebraska Medical Center, 984365 Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198-4365.
authors.forename: Teresa
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Smith
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003611:Dairy Products; D004032:Diet / Q000592:standards; D002523:Edible Grain; D007887:Fabaceae; D063105:Food Assistance / Q000592:standards*; D063427:Food Quality; D005523:Food Supply / Q000592:standards; D058870:Food, Organic; D005638:Fruit; D006801:Humans; D009009:Montana; D015596:Nutrition Assessment; D018673:Nutrition Policy; D011203:Poverty; D014675:Vegetables
keywords: Backpack program; Children; Food assistance; Healthy Eating Index-2010; Nutrition program evaluation