How Families Cope with Food Insecurity in the Rural South

“I Think That’s the Most Beneficial Change That WIC Has Made in a Really Long Time”: Perceptions and Awareness of an Increase in the WIC Cash Value Benefit

“…Fruits and vegetables are key sources of nutrients commonly under-consumed by young children in the US, and they reduce the lifetime risk of chronic health conditions [ 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 ]. Consumption of fruits and vegetables, especially nutrient-dense varieties, is often lower among children living in rural households and households with low incomes and children from historically marginalized racial or ethnic groups [ 10 , 11 , 12 , 13 , 14 , 15 , 16 ]. Across the US, structural factors such as high cost and disparate physical access to fruits and vegetables as well as divestment in communities make it more challenging for children living in rural areas, in households with low incomes, and from historically marginalized racial/ethnic groups to meet fruit and vegetable intake recommendations [ 10 , 11 , 12 , 13 , 14 , 15 , 16 , 17 , 18 , 19 , 20 , 21 , 22 , 23 , 24 , 25 ].…”

“…Consumption of fruits and vegetables, especially nutrient-dense varieties, is often lower among children living in rural households and households with low incomes and children from historically marginalized racial or ethnic groups [ 10 , 11 , 12 , 13 , 14 , 15 , 16 ]. Across the US, structural factors such as high cost and disparate physical access to fruits and vegetables as well as divestment in communities make it more challenging for children living in rural areas, in households with low incomes, and from historically marginalized racial/ethnic groups to meet fruit and vegetable intake recommendations [ 10 , 11 , 12 , 13 , 14 , 15 , 16 , 17 , 18 , 19 , 20 , 21 , 22 , 23 , 24 , 25 ]. In the rural Southeastern US, these geographic, income, and race/ethnicity groups often intersect and overlap, contributing to a potentially greater risk of inadequate fruit and vegetable intake [ 17 ].…”

“…alized racial/ethnic groups to meet fruit and vegetable intake recommendations [10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24][25] In the rural Southeastern US, these geographic, income, and race/ethnicity groups often intersect and overlap, contributing to a potentially greater risk of inadequate fruit and vegetable intake [17].…”