An official website of the United States government.
Project NC1033 Objectives: 1) Develop models which incorporate access and use conditions within the food environment and how these influence food consumption patters and obesity rates controlling for individual dietary patterns; 2) Study how retail options within the food environment influence food consumption patterns and obesity rates controlling for individual dietary patterns. Examine the effect of preparation time on the cost of a minimum cost diet in Hawaii. Assess the impact of significant changes in the local retail market for groceries that have taken place over the past decade and their influence on the consumption behavior and nutritional intake of low-income Hawaii households. Conduct economic analysis on consumer demand for organic and locally produced meats and vegetables. The research will proceed by updating a paper by Leung et. al (1997). Much has changed in the years since the earlier work was completed, and the issues addressed in the research remain highly relevant, particularly in this recessionary environment that has many Hawaii families facing difficult economic times. The research will focus on the food consumption behavior of lower income households in Hawaii. Research outputs hold promise of having application in the design of school lunch programs, WIC and food stamp program recommendations, and food assistance work of community organizations. Notable changes relevant to the cost of minimum costs diets include changes in the structure of markets for final consumer food goods (e.g., entry of major discount groceries such as Costco and Sam's club), changing nutritional recommendations for a minimum cost diet, rising problem of obesity, growing ranges of types of foods available (e.g., increased availability of processed foods and prepared produce), and increased consumer concern about food safety. Study related issues with respect to the nutritional benefits of alternative minimum cost diets cost implication of adding organic or produced farmed in Hawaii.
<p>APPROACH: <br/>This research plans to make use of a few methods in conducting this research. Data collection through surveys of food retail outlets, recollection of available public records, and household/individual (consumer) surveys will likely be employed to provide the data to inform quantitative modeling. Quantitative modeling approaches likely to be applied in the research will likely include: identification and quantification of nutrient composition of foods, multi-level and multi-objective integer linear programming modeling, and various statistical and econometric analysis to derive key model parameters.
<p>PROGRESS: 2006/10 TO 2011/09
<p>OUTPUTS: <br/>Data related to determining the cost of omega3s in foods were collected. This included collecting price data on foods rich in omega3s at grocery retail centers across Honolulu. In regards to the omega3 content of foods, information was obtained from published databases, and in the case of farmed fish in Hawaii, samples were collected on 10 species and analyzed for omega3 content. Information was disseminated via a research poster entitled: Cost analysis of omega 3s from fish, supplements and foods, as well as a consumer poster on Healthy Seafood Hawaii. Presentation was made by Dr. Watters to physicians at medical rounds at Kapiolani Medical Center for Women and Children. Dr. Watters and research assistant presented information to the dietitians across the state at the annual Hawaii dietetic association.
PARTICIPANTS: Research
Assistants Lee Rosner and Karl Sloss were involved in data collection on price data from grocery retail centers as well as data entry. In addition Research Assistants were involved in collection of farmed fish products. Lee Rosner processed samples prior to analysis, and prepared posters and graphs of data for presentation. Analysis of samples was done by Dr. Adrian Franke of the University of Hawaii Cancer Center.
TARGET AUDIENCES: Target audience include health professionals (physicians and dietitians) as well as the general public on cost effective way to consume a healthy diet in terms of omega3 content.
PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period.
<p>PROGRESS: 2009/10/01 TO 2010/09/30
<p>OUTPUTS: <br/>Work to develop economically efficient diets providing nutritious diets at low cost for Hawaii proceeded in the project's initial year of implementation 2009-10, with efforts focused on building working relationships with key organizations in Hawaii whose cooperation is needed to obtain data and execute the research. Available minimal cost meal plans for Hawaii rely on outdated data on food consumption patterns in Hawaii, and generally fail to address the availability of foods locally, cultural food preferences, and the role of food preparation time play in driving individual and family food choices. Diet plans have not been customized to account for special dietary needs such as reduced sugar or low sodium options. The need to consider local food market conditions and food preferences is particularly important in the
design of minimum cost diets for Hawaii, where local tastes and food choices differ markedly from the US mainland. Unfortunately, the state has been omitted from national survey efforts in the food consumption area for the past three decades, however, this is being overcome through collaboration with the Cancer Research center of Hawaii, Foodland, and other researchers. A related work area addresses the cost of Omega 3 (in particular, DHA and EPA long-chain fatty acids) in Hawaii. Two papers are being written based on this research: one paper is addressing the basic issue of the cost of Omega 3 and a second paper that considers farmed versus wild capture sources of Omega 3 in relation to long term fisheries forecasts. Health benefits from consumption of recommended quantities of Omega 3 include the reduction of chronic diseases (e.g., lowered risk of coronary heart disease and stroke,
lowered risk of cancer, and reduction of liver and pancreatic disease, lowered blood cholesterol), and DHA is essential in the first 6 months of life for proper development of the brain and neural tissue, so is increasingly included in prenatal supplements and infant formulas. The principal dietary sources of Omega 3 come from seafood and nutritional supplements, but an increasing number of goods (e.g., eggs, dairy products) are fortified with Omega 3. The FDA has approved qualified health claims for EPA and DHA omega-3 fatty acids in dietary supplements, but product labeling generally report total Omega 3 so obscures information regarding the quantity of long-chain fatty acids that are most beneficial. The cost of Omega 3 from these various sources is difficult for consumers to assess (because of the different concentrations of DHA/EPA in foods and the extreme price differences across
goods) so research will provide practice information to Hawaii consumers. The research combines collection of price data from Costco, Foodland, Longs, Safeway, Times, Walmart, and Whole Foods with detailed meta-analysis of existing nutritional assessments of the DHA and EPA concentrations in a broad spectrum of fish and seafood. A fish and seafood buying guide will be developed from the research as an extension publication once research is complete.
<P>PARTICIPANTS: Individuals and institutions actively working on various aspects of this research during the reference period are listed and a brief characterization of their efforts in relation to the project is provided below. Donna Au, MPH, RD, Research Dietitian Supervisor Cancer Research Center of Hawaii. Analysis of nutritional components of dishes commonly consumed in Hawaii, matching of grocery product codes with food items included in
the Multi-Ethnic Cohort Study food consumption survey. Lynne Wilkenson, CRCH, Biostatistician, assisting with use of MECS survey data and interpretation Suzanne Murphy, CRCH, Professor (Researcher), University of Hawaii Cancer Center; Director, Nutrition Support Shared Resource, University of Hawaii Cancer Center; Graduate Faculty, Department of Human Nutrition, Food and Animal Sciences; Graduate Faculty, Department of Public Health Sciences, providing guidance and support on broad aspects of the study. Corilee Watters, Assist. Prof. HNFAS, has obtained, consolidated, and interpreted data on food consumption in Hawaii. Compare and contrast costs of diets incorporating local fruits and vegetables, and diets incorporating low sodium and sugar items. Comparing dietary intake of nutrients with dietary references intake standards of nutrients for specific ages and genders. PingSun Leung,
Prof., NREM, conducting economic analysis and modeling in concert with PD. Lead the linear programming model specification and interpretation. Katie/Sandy Hung, Skyler Fritz, Karl Sloss - GRAs RAs, data collection, data entry, data analysis tasks Shriram Bhutada, Assistant Specialist, GIS to support the research and lead the GIS analysis of Hawaii food markets and geographic analysis of accessibility of health foods in the islands. Kristine Wallerius-Kuthrell, leads nutritional analysis of recipes and menus. Advises on public health concerns related to diet. Work with team members liaison with Hawaii Foods and other ongoing initiatives nutrition and diet areas. Major grocery chains - minimum cost diet and Omega 3 data collection TARGET AUDIENCES: A leading target audience for the research is policymakers (in particular, policymakers overseeing the Hawaii Head Start program, the Hawaii
State Child Care Connection Program, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, school lunch program administrators, and other programs related to family food security and nutrition. The extension materials developed under the project will include materials targeted for use by state personnel implementing these programs and for staff at not-for-profit organizations assisting needy families, university extension agents, and Hawaii families directly. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: An opportunity and need to extend research activities to consider the cost of long chain Omega 3 fatty acids (DHA and EPA) was identified, as a narrower research question that would allow team to work with data and data collection techniques being used in the broader study and produce outputs within a narrower time frame.
<p>PROGRESS: 2009/06/12 TO 2009/12/31
<p>OUTPUTS: <br/>Research is in its initial phase and work in period covered by the annual report largely involved the following: (i) collecting available information on food markets and retail outlets, food consumption, and food prices in the sate of Hawaii; (ii) developing an interdisciplinary research team that includes economists, nutritionists, and other social scientists to work collaboratively in planning and executing the research, (iii) conduct of review of literatures related to the topic of research, and (iv) development of more detailed research topics and proposals related to the main research themes addressed in NC1033 ""Local Food Choices, Eating Patterns, and Population Health."" PARTICIPANTS: The researcher is working with the group of researchers from various U.S. universities that are involved in NC1033 through regularly
schedule interactions and meetings organized under the regional project. He is of not collaborating directly with other faculty from the University of Hawaii - Manoa or with staff from other Hawaii institutions on this project. However, the list of collaborating individuals and institutions with whom he is worked on research related to NC1033 is extensive and includes: faculty from three CTAHR Departments/Centers; ongoing projects at the University of Hawaii concerning Hawaii Housing Authority Homeless Services, Hawaii Head Start, and Hawaii State Child Care Connection program. The research will work with state and non-profit agencies with ongoing projects at UH-Manoa's College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources Center of the Family including those charged with oversight of the school lunch, food stamp, and other programs where information of minimum cost nutritionally adequate
diets would have clear relevance. Finally, the project will also seek to cooperate with on-going CTAHR initiatives related to family diets and household budgeting (e.g., the Hawaii Foods project and the Hawaii Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program). The research is collaborating with researchers from the Cancer Research Center of Hawaii (CRCH) to incorporate a large database of local recipes and their nutritional qualities CRCH has collected into the database being constructed for this research. The Project will link to other researchers working on issues of household nutrition, diet-related public health concerns, and similar issues through the Hatch Regional Project NC1033 network and activities.
TARGET AUDIENCES: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period.
PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period.