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Volume 18
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10.3390/ijerph18136979
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Article

Associations between Food Pantry Size and Distribution Method and Healthfulness of Foods Received by Clients in Baltimore City Food Pantries

by
Yuxuan Gu
1,2,
Shahmir H. Ali
3,
Sally Yan
4,
Bengucan Gunen
2,
Reuben Park
5,
Lisa Poirier
2,
Hope C. Craig
2,
Hengjin Dong
1,* and
Joel Gittelsohn
2
1
Center for Health Policy Studies, Department of Social Medicine, School of Public Health, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310058, China
2
Center for Human Nutrition, Department of International Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
3
Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, School of Global Public Health, New York University, New York, NY 10003, USA
4
Family League of Baltimore City, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
5
Krieger School of Arts and Sciences, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(13), 6979; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18136979
Submission received: 27 May 2021 / Revised: 23 June 2021 / Accepted: 25 June 2021 / Published: 29 June 2021
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Food Systems, Food Environment, Diet and Nutrition Related Diseases)
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Abstract

This study aimed to evaluate the association of the overall nutritional quality and the weight share of specific types of foods received by food pantry clients with food pantry size and distribution method. Data on healthy food weights using the gross weight share (GWS) of select foods and the validated Food Assortment Score Tool (FAST) were collected from 75 food pantry clients in Baltimore, Maryland. The average FAST score across the study population was 63.0 (SD: 10.4). Overall, no statistically significant differences in average FAST scores by pantry size and distribution method were found. However, among client-choice pantries, clients of small pantries had higher scores (p < 0.05) while among medium pantries, clients of traditional pantries had higher scores (p < 0.01). Subgroup analysis of GWS was stratified by pantry size and distribution methods. Findings suggested multi-level, multi-component interventions combining environmental strategies are needed to enhance the healthfulness of foods received by clients. Our analysis provided data to consider further refinements of pantry interventions and planning of more rigorous research on factors influencing the effectiveness of pantry interventions.
Keywords: food pantry; food insecurity; nutritional quality; systems; Baltimore; client choice food pantry; food insecurity; nutritional quality; systems; Baltimore; client choice

Share and Cite

MDPI and ACS Style

Gu, Y.; Ali, S.H.; Yan, S.; Gunen, B.; Park, R.; Poirier, L.; Craig, H.C.; Dong, H.; Gittelsohn, J. Associations between Food Pantry Size and Distribution Method and Healthfulness of Foods Received by Clients in Baltimore City Food Pantries. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18, 6979. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18136979

AMA Style

Gu Y, Ali SH, Yan S, Gunen B, Park R, Poirier L, Craig HC, Dong H, Gittelsohn J. Associations between Food Pantry Size and Distribution Method and Healthfulness of Foods Received by Clients in Baltimore City Food Pantries. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2021; 18(13):6979. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18136979

Chicago/Turabian Style

Gu, Yuxuan, Shahmir H. Ali, Sally Yan, Bengucan Gunen, Reuben Park, Lisa Poirier, Hope C. Craig, Hengjin Dong, and Joel Gittelsohn. 2021. "Associations between Food Pantry Size and Distribution Method and Healthfulness of Foods Received by Clients in Baltimore City Food Pantries" International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 18, no. 13: 6979. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18136979

APA Style

Gu, Y., Ali, S. H., Yan, S., Gunen, B., Park, R., Poirier, L., Craig, H. C., Dong, H., & Gittelsohn, J. (2021). Associations between Food Pantry Size and Distribution Method and Healthfulness of Foods Received by Clients in Baltimore City Food Pantries. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(13), 6979. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18136979

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