ASSESING THE ASSOCIATION OF NUTRITION EDUCATION ON FOOD SECURITY, DIETARY DIVERSITY, AND DIET QUALITY IN HOUSEHOLDS WITH LOW-INCOME

Abstract

Food insecurity continues to disproportionately affect households with low-income, compromising dietary quality and long-term health. The Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP) seeks to address these disparities through culturally tailored, evidence-based nutrition education. This quasi-experimental longitudinal study assessed the impact of nutrition education delivered through EFNEP on dietary diversity, diet quality, and food security among low-income adults in Prince George’s County, Maryland. Participants (n=86) were divided into control (n=43) and intervention groups (n=43). The intervention group received EFNEP’s structured curriculum focused on dietary behaviors, food resource management, and nutrition education. Data were collected at baseline, post (6-week exit), and 6-month follow-up using 24-hour dietary recalls and EFNEP Adult Behavior Questionnaires. Dietary quality was assessed using the Healthy Eating Index (HEI-2015), and dietary diversity was evaluated via the Minimum Dietary Diversity Score for Women (MDD-W), adapted for all participants. Results indicated that the intervention group showed improvements across all outcome domains, including increased HEI and MDD-W scores, enhanced food security, and better food resource management and preparation skills. These gains were sustained at the 6-month follow-up, suggesting benefits of nutrition education participation. In contrast, the control group demonstrated either stagnation or decline in key metrics. This study provides evidence that community-based nutrition education programs like EFNEP can lead to sustained improvements in dietary practices and food security among underserved populations. The findings support expanding and integrating such programs into broader public health strategies to promote nutritional equity and long-term health outcomes.