Perceived Healthfulness of the Environment of Communities with Low Income: Focus Groups and Interviews with Extension Nutrition Educators

Authors

• Elder Garcia Varela, University of MichiganFollow
• Jamie Zeldman, University of FloridaFollow
• Jade McNamara, University of MaineFollow
• Jesse S. Morrell, University of New HampshireFollow
• Lisa Franzen-Castle, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow
• Melissa D. Olfert, West Virginia UniversityFollow
• Tandalayo Kidd, Kansas State UniversityFollow
• Kendra Kattelmann, South Dakota State UniversityFollow
• Geoffrey Greene, University of Rhode IslandFollow
• Karla P. Shelnutt, University of FloridaFollow

Volume

63

Issue

1

DOI

10.34068/joe.63.01.02

Abstract

This study explored Extension nutrition educators’ (NEs) perceptions of community members’ challenges and opportunities for achieving a healthy lifestyle. NEs represented various communities with low income across nine states. NEs across locations identified similar barriers (i.e., lack of access and availability of healthy and affordable foods; access to transportation; and financial insecurity) and opportunities (i.e., trustworthy and free nutrition education resources and programs; and access to food banks, food pantries, and health care professionals) that prevented or facilitated a healthful lifestyle. Future research should explore key community stakeholder and community member perceptions to guide the development of community-driven interventions.

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 4.0 License.

Recommended Citation

Varela, E. G., Zeldman, J., McNamara, J., Morrell, J. S., Franzen-Castle, L., Olfert, M. D., Kidd, T., Kattelmann, K., Greene, G., & Shelnutt, K. P. (2025). Perceived Healthfulness of the Environment of Communities with Low Income: Focus Groups and Interviews with Extension Nutrition Educators. Journal of Extension, 63(1), Article 2. https://doi.org/10.34068/joe.63.01.02