Research and Evaluation

In keeping with its organizational mission, The Food Trust evaluates the success of its programs and initiatives by its effectiveness in:

Improving communities' access to affordable and healthy fresh foods;
Increasing awareness among at-risk consumers of the value of proper nutrition and its relation to individual health; and
Effecting positive behavioral change among children and adults, as relates to healthy eating habits.

The work of The Food Trust has been featured in several recent publications:

Lavizzo-Mourey, R. “Childhood Obesity What It Means for Physicians.” Journal of the American Medical Association 298.8 (2007).

Giang T, Karpyn A, Laurison H, Hillier A, Perry D. “Closing the Grocery Gap in Underserved Communities: The Creation of the Pennsylvania Fresh Food Financing Initiative.” Journal of Public Health Management and Practice (2008).

Geier A., Foster G., Womble, L., McLaughlin J., Borradaile K., Nachmani J., Sherman S., Kumanyika S., and Shults, J. “The Relationship Between Relative Weight and School Attendance Among Elementary Schoolchildren” Obesity 15: 2157-2161 (2007)

Read about all the research initiatives The Food Trust is conducting:

> Download a summary of The Food Trust's Research Initiatives (pdf)

Outcomes

Farmers’ markets:

The Farmers’ Market Program continues to successfully deliver nutrition education. Survey findings reveal that 90% of those who have visited the market have received nutrition education.

More than half of market visitors report increasing their fruit and vegetable intake since coming to the markets. Among those reporting an increase, most claim improved consumption by two to three servings, and one in four report an increase of four servings or more.

Notably, the variety of fruits and vegetables consumed by market goers since coming to the market has also increased, according to survey findings. More than half (56%) report eating a greater variety of fruits and vegetables since coming to the market.

Schools:

As a result of our programs, students are increasing fruit and vegetable intake from about 4 servings a day to about 6 servings a day. The change is statistically significant at p <.01.

Student consumption of sugar sweetened soda declined from a weekly mean of 7.6 cans to 6.6 cans while student consumption of sugar sweetened fruit drinks decreased from a weekly mean of 7.5 servings to 6.5 servings.

Parents at schools participating in our Kindergarten Initiative found that more than 90% of KI parents believed they had changed the way they shop for groceries, prepare meals, or talk to their children about food.

Policy:

Thanks to the work of the Food Marketing Task Force and the Department of Community and Economic Development, The Food Trust and partners have funded more than 20 supermarket projects through The Fresh Food Financing Initiative.

The Farmers’ Market Alliance, also convened by The Food Trust, reviewed best practices in state level policies across the country and developed 40 public policy recommendations for the state of Pennsylvania.

Our Comprehensive School Nutrition Policy Initiative, in collaboration with the Philadelphia Public School District, led to a 1) successful ban of soda vending machines in Philadelphia public schools and 2) the passage of the strongest public school district beverage policy in the country.