Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Education and Evaluation Study (Wave II)

Anita Singh, PhDUSDA, Food and Nutrition ServiceOffice of Policy SupportSNAP Research and Analysis Division

ASNNA Winter Conference February 12, 2014

Role of the Office of Policy Support and its SNAP Research and Analysis Division

Rationale for the Wave II study

Findings from Wave II

Takeaways for SNAP-Ed

Wave II experiences – views of demonstration project staff

Role of the Office of Policy Support (OPS)

To support the management of USDA’s

nutrition assistance programs by

providing valid, timely & unbiased

information to inform Agency decisions on

policy, planning, legislative, budgetary,

regulatory & program management

processes.

SNAP Research and Evaluation Division -- What Do We Do?

Policy Analysis– Support development and presentation of policy

options– Estimate costs for budget projection– Review regulatory changes and waivers and

assess impacts

Research and Evaluation– Develop and oversee research and evaluation

projects– Interpret findings for policy use

SNAP-Ed and Evaluation Study (Wave II)

Undertaken to identify an initial set of promising practices for both nutrition education and evaluation.

To demonstrate that SNAP-Ed can bring about meaningful behavioral change.

To show that SNAP-Ed implementers can mount methodologically robust yet logistically practical intervention evaluations.

Wave II: Three Demonstration Projects Were Competitively Selected

Two interventions targeted to low-income children in school-based programs

▲ INN’s BASICS for Nutrition and Physical Activity at School (evaluating multi-channel approach versus school-only)

▲ UKCES’s Literacy, Eating, and Activity for Primary School-age Children (LEAP2)

One intervention targeted to low-income seniors

▲ MSUE’s Eat Smart, Live Strong (ESLS)(developed by FNS)

Demonstration Projects’ Key Features

FeatureBASICS/BASICS Plus(INN)

LEAP 2 (UKCES)

ESLS(MSUE)

Implementing agency type State Department of Public Health

Cooperative Extension

Cooperative Extension

Theoretical framework Social Cognitive Theory

Social Cognitive Theory

BEHAVE Framework

Intervention sites (number)

11 schools– BASICS

11 schools – BASICS Plus

8 schools 18 senior centers

Demonstration Projects’ Key Features (continued)

FeatureBASICS/BASICS Plus (INN)

LEAP 2 (UKCES)

ESLS(MSUE)

Target audienceChildren in 3rd grade and their parents/caregivers

Children in 1st–3rd grades (primary) and their parents/caregivers (secondary)

SNAP-eligible seniors, ages 60–80

Education delivery channels

Direct education (BASICS); Direct Education and multichannel social marketing campaign (BASICS Plus)

Classroom lessons for children; daily fruit and vegetable recall activity for children; take-home newsletter for parents/caregivers

Direct education lessons for seniors; take home materials and activities

Strength of the Evidence – Impact Evaluations

BASICS & BASICS Plus (INN)

LEAP2 (UKCES) ESLS (MSUE)

Survey Respondents

Parents/caregivers Parents/caregivers Seniors ages 60 to 80

Study design Quasi-experimental design

Fully randomized experimental design

Quasi-experimental design

11 single- and 11 multi-channel intervention schools, and 11 comparison schools

8 intervention and 8 control schools

17 intervention and

16 comparison centers

Key Findings

The BASICS program and ESLS had significant impacts on fruit and vegetable consumptions.

Children’s at home use of 1 percent and fat-free milk increased with BASICS Plus.

The projects also had positive impacts on attitudes toward fruits and vegetables.

Lesson Learned

Finding effective methods to engage adults whether they are the primary focus (ESLS) or the secondary audience (parents of children for BASICS and LEAP2), is important for promoting behavior change.

Multi-component interventions (BASICS Plus) provide opportunity for greater reach and exposure to the intervention.

Child-focused interventions (BASICS and LEAP2) showed the need for greater parent engagement and the importance of teacher buy-in.

Lessons Learned (continued)

All three programs pointed to the need to better communicate how fruits and vegetables can be purchased economically.

– Actively promote all forms of fruits and vegetables that are affordable.

Takeaways

Wave II Findings have: – Contributed to the evidence-base– Provided important insights on the evaluation

needs of SNAP-Ed providers

Grow the Evidence Base for SNAP-Ed– Use evidence-based programs– Carefully plan and implement interventions – Document and share success – Share lessons learned

FNS Research (www.fns.usda.gov)

For Study and Evaluation Plans go to:http://www.fns.usda.gov/ops/study-evaluation-

plan

For SNAP Research go to:http://www.fns.usda.gov/ops/supplemental-

nutrition-assistance-program-snap-research

For Nutrition Education Research go to:http://www.fns.usda.gov/ops/nutrition-education

For links to Other Resources go to:http://www.fns.usda.gov/ops/research-and-

analysis