Masters Theses

Date of Award

12-1980

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science

Major

Agricultural Extension

Major Professor

Cecil E. Carter, Jr

Committee Members

Robert S. Dotson, Ester L. Hatcher

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between the number of servings consumed by homemakers in each of four food groups and personal and family characteristics. This study also was designed to determine the improvement in adequacy of homemakers' diets in each of the four food groups from the initial to the fifth food recall. The population of this study included homemakers from the nine original Tennessee counties which had participated in Extension's Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program for a period of at least two years when the data were collected. The sample included 375 participant families which represented a 10.5 percent sample of members from the original counties. Data from the family record forms were recorded on code sheets. Computations were made by The University of Tennessee Computer Center. Information was tabulated by frequency counts. The analysis of variance F-test was used to determine the relationships between the numbers of servings consumed from each food group and personal and family characteristics. The chi-square test and t-test were used to determine the comparison between adequacy of homemakers' diets from the initial and fifth food recalls. A probability level of 0.05 was accepted as being statistically significant. Major findings of this study were: 1. Counties reporting the lowest number of servings consumed on the initial food recall had the most potential and made the most improvement during this two year study. 2. Place of residence influenced the number of servings consumed from each food group by homemakers. Farm homemakers consumed significantly more milk servings, while urban homemakers reported more meat servings. Although not significant, farm homemakers continuously reported more fruit/vegetable and bread/cereal servings. 3. From initial to the fifth food recall, farm homemakers made the greatest improvement in all of the food groups except for the fruit/vegetable group in which urban homemakers made the most progress. Thus, farm homemakers appeared to show more benefit from participating in EFNEP than either urban or rural non-farm homemakers. 4. Whether or not a family received welfare or food stamps influenced the number of servings consumed. Welfare and food stamp participants significantly consumed fewer servings from the milk and fruit/vegetable groups. 5. Food stamp and welfare homemakers showed more improvement in number of servings consumed for each food group. Thus, it appears that food stamp and welfare participants benefited more from EFNEP than non-food stamp participants. 6. There were significant relationships between whether or not the EFNEP family received food donation and the numbers of servings consumed from the meat, fruit/vegetable, and bread/cereal groups. 7. There were significant relationships between whether or not the EFNEP homemaker received USDA assistance and the numbers of servings consumed. Where significant, USDA participants reported more bread/cereal servings and non-USDA participants more milk, fruits and vegetables. 8. There were no significant relationships between the numbers of servings from each food group and whether or not an adult male was present in the household. 9. The relationships between the numbers of servings consumed from each food group and education of homemakers were significant. Homemakers with less than an eighth grade education reported less nutritional adequacy than the other groups. 10. The two groups of homemakers with the lesser amount of education had the most potential for improvement and made the most improvement during this study. 11. Ethnic background influenced the number of servings consumed by homemakers. Where significant, black homemakers consumed more meat servings; while white homemakers consumed more milk and milk products. 12. Black homemakers reported more improvement in number of servings consumed for each food group. Thus, it appears that black homemakers benefited more from EFNEP than white homemakers. 13. There were significant relationships between the numbers of servings consumed and length of time in the program which suggests that there was additional advantage for homemakers to participate in the program up to the 24-month maximum. 14. Except for the meat group, there were significant comparisons between the mean numbers of servings consumed by homemakers from the initial to the fifth food recall. 15. There was no significant comparison between the mean numbers of meat servings consumed by homemakers from the initial to the fifth food recall. Most homemakers were already consuming the two minimum meat servings and more upon enrollment in EFNEP. Thus, a special need existed toward maintaining a level of two meat servings rather than increasing consumption. 16. Throughout the two year period, the least number of servings consumed was in the milk group. Thus, more nutrition education concerning the importance of milk and milk products in the daily diet is needed. 17. Comparison between the dietary adequacy of homemakers consuming minimum servings of the food groups from the initial and fifth food recalls were not significantly related except for the bread/cereal group. Implications and recommendations for use of findings and recommendations for further study also were made.

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