title: Farmers' market shopping and dietary behaviours among Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program participants.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Because farmers' markets include a variety of fruits and vegetables, shopping at farmers' markets would likely improve diet quality among low-income consumers, as well as promote sustainable direct farm-to-consumer business models. However, not much is known about how to promote farmers' market shopping among low-income consumers. Therefore, the purpose of the present paper was to examine barriers to and facilitators of shopping at farmers' markets and associations between shopping at farmers' markets and self-reported dietary behaviours (fruit and vegetable, sugar-sweetened beverage and fast-food consumption) and BMI.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional analyses of associations between farmers' market shopping frequency, awareness of markets, access to markets, dietary behaviours and BMI.
  
  
  METHODS
  Department of Social Services, Pitt County, eastern North Carolina, USA.
  
  
  METHODS
  Between April and July 2013, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) participants (n 205) completed a quantitative survey.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Barriers to shopping at farmers' markets included does not accept SNAP/electronic benefit transfer, out of the way and lack of transportation. Farmers' market shopping was associated with awareness of farmers' markets (estimate =0·18 (se 0·04), P<0·001). Fruit and vegetable consumption was positively associated with farmers' market shopping (estimate =1·06 (se 0·32), P=0·001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our study is one of the first to examine SNAP participants' farmers' market shopping, distance to farmers' markets and dietary behaviours. Barriers to shopping at farmers' markets and increasing awareness of existing markets should be addressed in future interventions to increase SNAP participants' use of farmers' markets, ultimately improving diet quality in this high-risk group.
authors.affiliation: 1Department of Public Health,Brody School of Medicine,East Carolina University,600 Moye Blvd,MS 660,Lakeside Annex 7,Greenville,NC 27834,USA.
authors.forename: Stephanie B
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Jilcott Pitts
authors.affiliation: 2Department of Biostatistics,East Carolina University,Greenville,NC,USA.
authors.forename: Qiang
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: 1Department of Public Health,Brody School of Medicine,East Carolina University,600 Moye Blvd,MS 660,Lakeside Annex 7,Greenville,NC 27834,USA.
authors.forename: Chelsea L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Demarest
authors.affiliation: 1Department of Public Health,Brody School of Medicine,East Carolina University,600 Moye Blvd,MS 660,Lakeside Annex 7,Greenville,NC 27834,USA.
authors.forename: Crystal E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Dixon
authors.affiliation: 1Department of Public Health,Brody School of Medicine,East Carolina University,600 Moye Blvd,MS 660,Lakeside Annex 7,Greenville,NC 27834,USA.
authors.forename: Ciarra Jm
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Dortche
authors.affiliation: 3Department of Nutrition,University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill,Chapel Hill,NC,USA.
authors.forename: Sally L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Bullock
authors.affiliation: 3Department of Nutrition,University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill,Chapel Hill,NC,USA.
authors.forename: Jared
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: McGuirt
authors.affiliation: 4Department of Community Health,East Tennessee State University,Johnson City,TN,USA.
authors.forename: Rachel
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ward
authors.affiliation: 3Department of Nutrition,University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill,Chapel Hill,NC,USA.
authors.forename: Alice S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Ammerman
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003247:Conservation of Natural Resources / Q000191:economics; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004032:Diet / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000191:economics; D058735:Environmental Policy; D005260:Female; D063105:Food Assistance / Q000191:economics; D005523:Food Supply / Q000191:economics; D005638:Fruit / Q000191:economics; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009657:North Carolina; D018673:Nutrition Policy; D009749:Nutrition Surveys; D010349:Patient Compliance; D011203:Poverty; D012423:Rural Health; D014675:Vegetables / Q000191:economics; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Farmers’ markets; Fruit; Obesity; Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program; Vegetables