Publications by authors named "Maria Gombi-Vaca"
Background: Economic stability is a core social determinant of health and a necessary condition for maintaining food security, housing stability, and both physical and mental health. Using a qualitative approach, we identified barriers, facilitators, and participant perceptions about utilizing these relief measures. This study aimed to understand experiences with COVID-19 economic relief measures among low-wage worker households with children during the COVID-19 pandemic.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFNutrition promotion programs may have varying effects and influence health disparities. SuperShelf promotes healthy choices in food pantries through inventory changes and nudge implementation (e.g.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPurpose: Ultra-processed food may play a role in facilitating snacking behavior because of their convenience and low satiety potential. This study aimed to describe the association between consumption of ultra-processed foods and frequency of snacking.
Methods: We analyzed data from 46,164 participants (≥ 10 years old) in the 2017-2018 Brazilian Household Budget Survey.
Background: Food pantries are an important source of food for those facing food insecurity. The Charitable Food Nutrition Index (CFNI) was developed for research and practice to measure the nutritional quality of assortments of foods in this setting.
Objective: The study assessed the construct validity of the CFNI using secondary data from a group-randomized food pantry intervention in Minnesota.
Background: Interventions in food pantry settings have the potential to improve health among clients at risk of diet-related disease.
Purpose: This study evaluates whether a cluster-randomized, behavioral intervention in food pantries resulted in improved client outcomes.
Methods: Sixteen Minnesota food pantries were randomized to an intervention (n = 8) or control condition (n = 8).
Objective: The current study presents results of a midpoint analysis of an ongoing natural experiment evaluating the diet-related effects of the Minneapolis Minimum Wage Ordinance, which incrementally increases the minimum wage to $15/h.
Design: A difference-in-difference (DiD) analysis of measures collected among low-wage workers in two U.S.
Background: US Department of Agriculture (USDA) Foods programs for households (ie, The Emergency Food Assistance Program, Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations, and Commodity Supplemental Food Program) are designed to provide nutritious foods at no cost to income-eligible individuals in the United States.
Objective: Our aim was to evaluate the nutritional quality of the foods available from 3 USDA Foods programs for households (ie, The Emergency Food Assistance Program, Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations, and Commodity Supplemental Food Program) according to the Healthy Eating Research (HER) Guidelines for the Charitable Food System.
Design: Review of the nutritional information of the foods available from USDA Foods programs for households was performed.
In 2020, charitable food organizations began adopting Healthy Eating Research (HER) nutrition guidelines, which rank individual foods in tiers (e.g., green, yellow, or red) based on each food's nutrient profile.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFArticle Synopsis
- The study aimed to analyze how often people eat out in Brazil and how it relates to consuming ultra-processed foods, looking at both individual differences and overall trends.
- It included data from over 34,000 individuals and found that people consumed more ultra-processed foods, like sugary drinks and ready-to-eat meals, when eating out compared to at home.
- The findings suggest the need for public policies to limit ultra-processed food consumption outside the home and to promote healthier, less-processed food options.
Perception of food consumed is a key factor in acknowledging the need for behavioral change to improve diet quality. We analyzed family dietary intake according to the head of household's perception of satisfaction with food consumed by the family. Households (n = 13,351) that participated in the Brazilian Household Budget Survey and the National Dietary Survey were classified as satisfied or dissatisfied with the food consumed in the home.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFSugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) consumption can cause positive energy balance, therefore leading to weight gain. A plausible biological mechanism to explain this association is through weak caloric compensation for liquid calories. However, there is an ongoing debate surrounding SSB calorie compensation.
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