AN ASSOCIATION BETWEEN OLDER ADULTS’ FRUIT & VEGETABLE INTAKE AND

FARMERS’ MARKET SHOPPINGPresenter: Gilliam Tsao (SHU-FENG TSAO)

Date: November 1st , 2016Advisor: Dr. Bastin

Committee members: Dr. Brewer, Dr. Stephenson

Thesis Defense

Agenda■Literature review■Study

Introduction■Methodology■Result■Discussion■Conclusion

Adapted from Lexington Farmers Market, 2016

LITERATURE REVIEW

What is a farmers’ market?■A place where local farmers gather on a recurring basis to sell fresh fruits, vegetables, and other farm products directly to consumers (Farmers Market Coalition, 2016).

Adapted from Lexington Farmers’ Markets (2014), and CityTalk (2012).

Numbers of farmers’ markets in the US increased over 300% in past two decades.■1,755 in 1994 →

8,476 in 2015 (USDA, 2015).

■Reflect increasing demand for:– local food

products– Better freshness

& quality– support for the

local economy(Martinez et al, 2015)

Farmers’ Markets and Fruit & Vegetable Intake

■Inverse association between low intake of fruits and vegetables and high risks for chronic diseases and obesity (Boeing et al., 2012).

■Lacking affordable sources of fresh produce may contribute to poor nutrition, especially in low-income populations.

■CDC and the USDA recommend increasing access to farmers’ markets (Cole et al, 2013).– Cost effective

Farmers’ markets and SNAP

Other common programs intervened at farmers’ markets

WIC SFMNP

Adapted from the Greensboro Farmers Curb Market, Community Partnership on Aging, and Washington State Department of Health, 2016.

Local/statewide nutrition assistance programs

Other states■ North Carolina: the Community

Transformation Grant Project (GTC-Project)

■ New York City: The Health Buck initiative

■ Utah: “Double-Up Food Bucks”……and so on.

Lexington, Kentucky■ SNAP in a “Double Dollars” way

Public health & nutrition

professionals consider farmers’ markets an ideal platform to reach many people and

encourage them to consume fruits &

vegetables.Adapted from Urban Gardens, 2016.

Perceived barriers to buying at farmers’ markets

45%

38.8%

36.9%

21.9%

Adapted from Wade K. et al (2015).

Taiwan

Farmers’ Markets in Taipei City

STUDY INTRODUCTION

Recommendations for consumption of fruits & vegetables USA Taiwan

Latest Guideline

The 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans

2012 Daily Dietary Guidelines

Fruits “Fill half of your plate with fruits & vegetables.”

3-5 servingsVegetables 2-4 servings

Adapted from USDA, and Nutrition Foundation of Taiwan.

Background in Kentucky■Fruit & vegetable consumption remains low in KY (CDC, 2013).– 45.9% and 25.2% reported consuming fruits & vegetables,

respectively, less than once a day.– Median intakes of fruits and vegetables in Kentucky were

1.0 and 1.7 times per day, respectively.■ Findings from Perkins’s thesis (2013) and Jilcott Pitts et al

(2014):– Consumption of fruits & vegetables was positively

associated with use of farmers’ markets among Kentucky customers.

– Some barriers hindered shoppers’ utilization of farmers’ markets.• “Out of way” and “market days and hours”

Background of farmers’ markets in Taiwan

■Not a strategy to facilitate consumption of fruits & vegetables.– Marketing channels for small farmers, especially organic

farmers, benefiting from directly selling their products to customers (Lin and Wang, 2014).

■Difficulties developing farmers’ markets (Huang, 2014).■Seniors aged 65+ had 3.2 to 3.5 servings of

vegetables and 1.5 servings of fruit daily in the 2005-2008 NAHSIT (Wu et al, 2011).

Gaps■Although evidence has shown a positive association

between increased FV consumption and regular shopping frequency at farmers’ markets,– Limited studies specifically target older adults aged

55+• Consumption of fruits & vegetables?• Their perception regarding their health and diet?• Any association between the FV intake and farmers’ markets?

– No known studies in Taiwan investigated farmers’ markets from a nutritional or health standpoint.

Research Objectives1.Determine the general characteristics of farmers’ markets shoppers and their perceptions regarding the markets in both locations.

2.Compare the amount of fruit and vegetable consumption and shopping behaviors between older and younger shoppers.

3. Identify common barriers that affect Kentucky residents shopping at farmers’ markets in Lexington, Kentucky.

4.Compare similarities and differences in three farmers’ markets in Lexington, Kentucky and three farmers’ markets in Taipei City, Taiwan.

METHODOLOGY

Study design

■A descriptive, cross-sectional study.■Time: June to August, 2015.■Questionnaire: A “customer intercept survey” was

adapted from Perkins’s thesis (2014).– English version for Lexington, KY– Chinese version for Taipei City, Taiwan

Survey locations

Lexington, KY■241 West Main Street

(downtown) on Saturday■348 Southland Street on

Sunday■400 West Maxwell Street on

Tuesday & Thursday

Taipei City, TW■248 Farmers’ Market on

Friday & Saturday■Water Garden Organic

Farmers' Market on Saturday■Taipei Expo Farmers’ Market

on Saturday & Sunday

Study population

■Inclusion criteria:• Local residents who were at least 18 years of age in both

places.• Males & females shopping at farmers’ markets & willing to

take survey• Able to read & write English in Lexington, KY• Able to read & write Chinese in Taiwan City, TW

■Exclusion criteria:• Children and adolescents• Unable to read & write English or Chinese

Statistical analysis

■For descriptive analyses:– Percentage, mean ± standard deviation (SD)

■For the comparison of fruit & vegetable consumption between older and younger adults:– t-test

RESULTSLexington,

KY

Demographics

% % %Overall Age < 55 yrs Age 55 yrs≧

70 7368

29 2632

1 2 0

Gender

Female Male Transgender

Overall Age < 55 yrs

Age 55 ≧yrs

% % %

6 6 8

86 85 88

8 9 4

Race/Ethnicity

African American White Others

Overall Age < 55 yrs Age 55 yrs≧ % % %

1 1 0

86

11

2018

23

3538

31

36 37 36

Education Level

< high school High school graduate Some collegeCollege graduate postgraduate

Shopping behaviors

> once a week Once a week 2~3 times a month Once a month <1 time a month

11

35

28

13 13

7

36

24

151817

33 33

107

Frequency of FM shopping

Overall % Age < 55 yrs % Age 55 yrs %≧

Shopping alone Shopping with family and/or

friend

Shopping with pet Shopping with pet and family and/or

friend

Others

38

56

0.955

0.05

27

65

0.5

7

0.5

51

44

14

0

Shopping companies

Overall % Age < 55 yrs % Age 55 yrs %≧

More expensive About the same Less expensive

41

50

9

35

54

11

4846

6

Perceived Price

Overall % Age < 55 yrs % Age 55 yrs %≧

Older vs Younger Adults

Lexington, Kentucky Age    

  < 55 yrs ≧ 55 yrs χ2 p

Overall health Good Very good 10.345 .035

Overall diet Good Very good 23.748 <.0001

Shopping companiesShopping with friends

or familyShopping alone 18.908 .0008

Food price perception About the same More expensive 6.637 .0362

Shopping frequency Once a weekOnce a week or

2-3 times a month20.105 .0005

Consumption of Fruits & Vegetables

Lexington, Kentucky Age    

  < 55 yrs ≧ 55 yrs t df

Fruit servings consumed/day2.40

(0.09)

2.43

(0.10)0.21 306

Vegetable servings consumed/day2.85

(0.08)

2.79

(0.10)-0.48 306

Dollars spent at farmers’ markets***22.48

(0.79)

19.54

(0.91)-2.45* 294

Unexpected Outcomes from Lexington

■Majority of respondents did not experience any barrier related to visiting farmers’ markets.• Perhaps due to more available and accessible farmers’

markets in summer.■Percentage of the SNAP participants that redeemed

their benefits at farmers’ markets: only 2%.

RESULTSTaipei City,

TW

Demographics

% % %Overall Age < 55 yrs Age 55 yrs≧

80 7987.5

20 2112.5

Gender

Female Male

Elementar

y sch

ool

Junior high

school g

raduate

Senior h

igh sc

hool grad

uate

College

grad

uate

postgrad

uate

1 110

64

24

0 08

68

24

2.5 5.5

2939

24

Education Level

Overall % Age < 55 yrs % Age 55 yrs %≧

Shopping Behaviors

Drive a ca

r

Share a ride

Bus

Subway

Bus + Subway

WalkingBiking

Ride a motorcy

cleOther

19

68

31

9

14

24

7

198 8

33

1012

24 4

22

12 1210

29

52

53

Transportation

Overall % Age < 55 yrs % Age 55 yrs %≧

> once a week Once a week 2~3 times a month

Once a month <once a month

4

14

2422

37

2

13

22 22

40

10

20

38

20

13

Frequency of FM shopping

Overall % Age < 55 yrs % Age 55 yrs %≧

Shopping alone Shopping with family and/or

friend

Shopping with pet Shopping with pet and family and/or

friend

Others

35

58

2 3 2

32

61

2 3 2

63

32

2 0 2

Shopping Companies

Overall % Age < 55 yrs % Age 55 yrs %≧

More expensive About the same Less expensive

75

23

2

77

21

2

63

32

5

Perceived Price

Overall % Age < 55 yrs % Age 55 yrs %≧

Older vs Younger Adults

Taipei City, Taiwan Age    

  < 55 yrs ≧ 55 yrs χ2 p

Overall health Good & Very good Very good 14.504 .0058

Overall diet Good Very good 22.504 .0002

Shopping companiesShopping with friends

or familyShopping alone 16.904 .0020

Food price perception More expensive More expensive 4.007 .1349

Shopping frequency < once a month 2-3 times a month 18.197 .0011

Consumption of Fruits & Vegetables

Taipei City, Taiwan Age    

  < 55 yrs ≧ 55 yrs t df

Fruit servings consumed/day2.23

(0.06)

2.59

(0.15)2.23* 335

Vegetable servings consumed/day2.48

(0.06)

2.73

(0.15)1.60 335

Dollars spent at farmers’ markets***15.40

(0.62)

22.25

(1.71)3.77** 303

Similarities

Both studied regions Age

  < 55 yrs ≧ 55 yrs

Overall health Good Very good

Overall diet Good Very good

Shopping companiesShopping with friends

or familyShopping alone

Food price perception   More expensive

Differences Location Lexington, KY Taipei City, TW

Age < 55 yrs ≧ 55 yrs < 55 yrs ≧ 55 yrs

Food price perception About the same More expensive More expensive

Shopping frequency Once a week   < once a month  

Fruit servings

consumed/day2.31 to 2.49* 2.33 to 2.53 2.17 to 2.29* 2.44 to 2.74

Vegetable servings

consumed/day2.77 to 2.93* 2.69 to 2.89 2.42 to 2.54* 2.58 to 2.88

Dollars spent at farmers’

markets21.69 to 23.27* 18.63 to 20.45⸸ 14.78 to 16.02* 20.54 to 23.96⸸

* p<0.05 in age < 55 years ⸸ p<0.05 in age ≥ 55

years

Limitations

■Cross-sectional design■A convenient sampling method■Association, not causation■Non-response bias■Limited number of older

participants■Limited generalization

Implications

■Inadequate consumption of fruits & vegetables, regardless of age, health consideration, and country.

■Low SNAP redemption■Farmers’ markets in Taiwan are probably not suitable

for encouraging fruit and vegetable consumption

Recommendations for Future Studies

■what causes a gap between the attendance of farmers’ markets and the consumption of fruits and vegetables?

■Why the redemption of SNAP benefits remains extremely low at farmers’ markets in Lexington, Kentucky?

■Include more farmers’ markets across various regions and more participants aged 55 and over.

■in Taiwan, what motivates older adults spending more money than their younger peers at farmers’ markets?

Q & A

Thank you for your listening

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