Introduction: Webb County, Texas is predominantly Hispanic community along the South Texas border. The majority of the population is economically disadvantaged, which affects their ability to live a healthy lifestyle. The average median household income in Webb County is $35,659, and the poverty rate is approximately 31.8% of the total population, which is double the state average.1 As a consequence, school-aged children face the nutritional problem of being food insecure.
Food insecurity is defined as the inability to find or acquire food in order to obtain the sufficient amount of nutrients to be healthy. Food insecurity is found more commonly in low-income households that are Hispanic or African American with a single parent.2 The prevalence …show more content…
In the survey, questions will be asked about topics regarding school meals, foods eaten at home, and snack time. The questions on the survey will help build a pattern to understand the dietary habits of food insecure children. Children in the lower levels of school may not have the literacy or the cognitive skills to fill out a survey. Therefore, a face-to-face survey will be used to receive data from children in elementary schools. As for children in middle and high school, surveys will be administered at school where data can be collected effectively. Teachers will also be handed out a survey where they can describe the snack time protocol for children in grades such as kindergarten. Surveys have been proven effective in many other studies. One research study issued surveys to children with food insecurity in the sixth grade; the study focused on the household experience of food insecurity.4 The results displayed one fourth of the children explained they went to bed hungry because there was no food available at home.4 Identifying the dietary behaviors of food insecure children assists in the obtaining information on food insecurity in Webb …show more content…
SNAP benefits assist low-income families to purchase foods.13 The method used to determine which grocery store accepts SNAP is to use the SNAP EBT locator on the website of the United States Department of Agriculture.14 Determining which grocery stores accept SNAP benefits was used in the research study of the determining the food environment of county in Maine.15 The study was able to determine the availability of foods in their county. The accessibility of foods is an important factor in determining food
Food insecurity is defined as the inability to find or acquire food in order to obtain the sufficient amount of nutrients to be healthy. Food insecurity is found more commonly in low-income households that are Hispanic or African American with a single parent.2 The prevalence …show more content…
In the survey, questions will be asked about topics regarding school meals, foods eaten at home, and snack time. The questions on the survey will help build a pattern to understand the dietary habits of food insecure children. Children in the lower levels of school may not have the literacy or the cognitive skills to fill out a survey. Therefore, a face-to-face survey will be used to receive data from children in elementary schools. As for children in middle and high school, surveys will be administered at school where data can be collected effectively. Teachers will also be handed out a survey where they can describe the snack time protocol for children in grades such as kindergarten. Surveys have been proven effective in many other studies. One research study issued surveys to children with food insecurity in the sixth grade; the study focused on the household experience of food insecurity.4 The results displayed one fourth of the children explained they went to bed hungry because there was no food available at home.4 Identifying the dietary behaviors of food insecure children assists in the obtaining information on food insecurity in Webb …show more content…
SNAP benefits assist low-income families to purchase foods.13 The method used to determine which grocery store accepts SNAP is to use the SNAP EBT locator on the website of the United States Department of Agriculture.14 Determining which grocery stores accept SNAP benefits was used in the research study of the determining the food environment of county in Maine.15 The study was able to determine the availability of foods in their county. The accessibility of foods is an important factor in determining food