(P22-035-24) Sociodemographic, Psychosocial, and Household Level Factors Associated With Fruit, Vegetable, and Fiber Consumption Among Corner Store Customers in Baltimore, Maryland

Objectives: Diet-related chronic disease is on the rise in historically disadvantaged communities, disproportionately affecting vulnerable populations. The Maryland Food Bank estimates grocery prices have increased by 20% since January 2020, creating new challenges for households to acquire fresh, healthy foods. An updated understanding of post-pandemic drivers of diet quality is needed, especially in under-resourced urban settings. We examined the (1) sociodemographic-, (2) psychosocial-, and (3) household-level factors associated with fruit, vegetable, and fiber consumption among low-income Baltimore, Maryland community members.

Methods: Adults who regularly shop at their neighborhood corner store were recruited via flyers, social media, and word-of-mouth. Data were collected using a Qualtrics survey comprising 84 closed- and open-ended questions. A validated review process was used to ensure data accuracy. The Block Fruit/Vegetable/Fiber (FVF) Screener produced a score based on consumption of 10 foods and beverages in the past month. Linear regression analyses were conducted in Stata using a model-building approach. The final model was chosen for best fit based on backward stepwise selection.

Results: Respondents (N=127) were 39 years old, on average, and the majority reported being female (65.4%), Black (51.2%), overweight/obese (66.9%), below median household income level for Baltimore City (81.1%), and food insecure (62.2%). The mean FVF score was 15.79 (out of 50; a higher score indicates higher diet quality). In the final model, being overweight/obese (β=-2.61, p=0.046), Black (β=-3.01, p=0.019), and not owning a home (β=-2.77, p=0.003) were associated with lower FVF, while participating in the WIC program (β=3.67, p=0.005) and allocating at least half of all food money to fruits and vegetables in the last 30 days (β=3.04, p=0.013) were associated with higher FVF. Interestingly, corner store shopping was not a significant factor.

Conclusions: Understanding current trends and factors associated with diet quality can help inform future strategies seeking to improve the health and wellbeing of those hit hardest by the pandemic. Increasing WIC participation and acceptance of WIC benefits in neighborhood stores may be a promising approach.

Funding Sources: R34HL145368; 2T32DK062707-21