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A physical activity and nutrition community intervention called the Oxford Hills Healthy Moms (OHHM) Project was developed using a multifaceted social marketing process, including review of state surveillance results, key informant interviews, and a survey and focus group discussions with low-socioeconomic-status (low-SES) mothers. This formative work was used to make key decisions on the selection of the intervention region, segmentation of the audience, and design of intervention strategies addressing multiple levels of the socioecological model. The OHHM Project aims to increase fruit and vegetable consumption and physical activity levels among low-SES mothers in the Oxford Hills region of Maine. The OHHM Project includes five components: (a) physical activity buddy program, (b) cooking club with education, (c) fruit and vegetable discount buying club with education, (d) increased access to produce vendors, and (e) increased access to places for physical activity. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Purpose: One of the major federal food assistance programs, the Special Supplemental Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), serves approximately 1.5 million low-income pregnant women per year; however, limited information is available on their dietary habits. This is critical because low-income women are at higher risk of gaining excess weight during pregnancy. Thus, the study objectives were to (1) determine the overall diet quality of WIC pregnant women and (2) examine diet quality and eating behaviors by race/ethnicity and other sociodemographics.Design: This was a cross-sectional study.Setting: One of the 3 WIC offices in a north-central county in North Carolina, USA.Sample: Pregnant women (n = 198) in the second trimester.Measures: Interviews included sociodemographics, food security, diet, and eating behaviors. Diet quality was assessed by the Healthy Eating Index (HEI) 2010 scores.Analysis: Descriptives, bivariate analysis, and multivariate analysis.Results: Average participant age was 26 years, and the mean HEI-2010 score was 56 of maximum score of 100. Specifically, African American women consumed significantly lower servings of whole grains (β = -1.71; 95% CI: -3.10 to -0.32; P < .05) and dairy (β = -1.42; 95% CI: -2.51 to -0.33; P < .05) compared with non-Hispanic white women. Hispanic women scored higher in daily intake of fruits (β = 0.98; 95% CI: 0.17-1.79; P < .05) and for consuming empty calories in moderation (β = 1.57; 95% CI: 0.06-3.09; P < .05). Frequency of intake of fast foods/outside meals was higher among African American women (57%, P = .025).Conclusion: Efforts are warranted to promote optimal nutrition among WIC pregnant women. Specifically, African American women are highly vulnerable to poor dietary habits during pregnancy. Further investigation of barriers/facilitators for healthy eating is necessary to address nutrition disparities among WIC pregnant women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study planned and implemented a new farmers’ market (FM) at a WIC (Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children) clinic in North Carolina, of which WIC FM Nutrition Program (FMNP) participants were the main priority population. The purpose of this FM was to provide convenience and improve access to locally grown fresh fruits and vegetables in the community and to increase the FMNP coupon redemption rate. The main objective of this study was to describe the overall process and key strategies involved in implementing a FM at a WIC clinic. A community-based participatory research design using different formative methods documented the process and key inputs in FM implementation. Local farmers, program administrators, and community advocates were involved in documenting the implementation process. Multiple formative methods included direct observation and semistructured interviews with staff and farmers (n = 13). A community partnership was key in implementing the FM. The market operated weekly over the course of 24 weeks, involved 12 WIC-approved farmers, and featured over 50 types of fresh fruits and vegetables. The FMNP coupon redemption rate at the county level increased from 51.3% to 62.9%. The results demonstrate that a FM can be successfully located near a WIC clinic with positive effects of increasing availability to fresh fruits and vegetables for a low-income population and revenue for local farmers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]