BMI Was Maintained Among Women with Low Incomes in Indiana Who Participated in Food Assistance and/or Federal Nutrition Education Over 1 Year

Background Longer-term (≥1 year) associations between federal food assistance and federal nutrition education with body mass index (BMI) are unclear. Objective This exploratory study determined the relationship of participation in a federal nutrition education intervention and self-selected food assistance program participation, and their combination on BMI over 1 year. Methods Women (≥18 years) from Indiana, U.S.A. were experimentally assigned to receive federal nutrition education of the U.S. Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program-Education (SNAP-Ed) program including the four lessons fulfilling SNAP-Ed guidance (n=59) or not (n=47), or to a control group, in this longitudinal study from August 2015-May 2017 (registered at www.clinicaltrials.gov as NCT03436784). Food assistance participation was self-selected. Main outcomes were averaged triplicate measured height and weight for BMI at baseline and 1-year by trained paraprofessionals. Analysis included mixed linear models comparing BMI over time by participation in the intervention or not, food assistance or not, or combinations of both programs. Results Obesity was classified for most participants (>60%) at both time points. BMI did not differ nor were differences observed in BMI change over 1 year based on receiving SNAP-Ed, food assistance programs, or their combination. Conclusions Weight was constant over 1 year regardless of receiving federal nutrition education, food assistance programs, or their combination, suggesting neither these programs nor their combination cause weight gain among low-income U.S. women in this preliminary study of these interventions among this sample.