Evaluation of a Distribution Model to Increase Access to Affordable Fruits and Vegetables.

Introduction: Identifying effective, sustainable strategies to increase fruit and vegetable consumption is critical to addressing chronic disease risk. Models that provide incentives for produce purchases through reduced-cost or no-cost produce shares are promising. The purpose of our study was to examine the impact on fruit and vegetable intake of Good Food for All, a community-based program to distribute no-cost produce boxes to participants with low incomes.

Concerns in measurement of healthy eating and physical activity standards implementation.

As part of its 2011 commitment to the Partnership for Healthier America, the YMCA of the USA (Y-USA) pledged that by 2015, 85 percent of its local Y associations with early childhood or afterschool programs would have at least one program site that met 100 percent of the Y-USA's healthy eating and physical activity (HEPA) standards. To inform the measurement and monitoring of HEPA standards, the Y-USA designed a thirty-three-item online survey to assess which HEPA standards were being met in afterschool program sites each year in order to track progress over time. Verification activities including direct observation, key informant interviews, and document review generated overall compliance ratings for each standard.

Travel to, and use of, twenty-one Michigan trails.

Objective And Methods: This study examined trail use among 857 trail users on 21 trails in Michigan from 2008 to 2011 using a valid and reliable intercept survey.

Results: Most of the 857 participants traveled to the trail from their home (92.6%), lived within 15 min of the trails (74.

Demographic characteristics and physical activity behaviors in sixteen Michigan parks.

The Building Healthy Communities (BHC) initiative addresses inadequate physical activity in Michigan using a population-based approach to prevent chronic disease. Eighteen local health departments through 2010 received $1,505,179 to plan and implement community-based interventions to increase physical activity among low-income and minority populations. This paper examines park user demographics, compares park user demographics to the demographic characteristics and examines physical activity behaviors of park users in these parks.