OP51 Changes in food security and diet indicators following an intervention to support the recovery of backyard garden food production post a major volcanic eruption

• Published in: Journal of epidemiology and community health (1979) 2023-08, Vol.77 (Suppl 1), p.A26-A26
• Main Authors: Eden Augustus, Murphy, Madhuvanti, Guell, Cornelia, Howitt, Christina, Ramdath, Dan, Anderson, Simon, Unwin, Nigel
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: COVID-19; Eruptions; Food consumption; Food groups; Food production; Food security; Food sources; Gardens & gardening; Households; Intervention; Nutritive value; Pandemics; Recovery (Medical); Rural areas; Volcanic eruptions
• ISSN: 0143-005X; 1470-2738
• DOI: 10.1136/jech-2023-SSMabstracts.51

BackgroundSmall Island Developing States have high levels of food insecurity and nutrition-related disease. One determinant is a dietary shift from consumption of local foods high in nutritional quality to nutrient poor imported food. A community intervention was designed to support the recovery of backyard gardens in St. Vincent and the Grenadines post volcanic-eruption and the impact of the intervention on food security in relation to dietary diversity (DD) and BMI was evaluated.MethodsA mixed-method prospective study was conducted with adults from 100 households within rural areas. The survey was administered at baseline, six and 12 months (September 2021-September 2022); included the Food Insecurity Experience Scale (FIES); adapted Minimum Dietary Diversity (MDD) for Women of Reproductive Age; and measured BMI. Food insecurity status was assigned using Rasch analysis in R. Stata 17 was used for descriptive and inferential analyses. Semi-structured monthly interviews over six months with a representative from 10 purposely chosen households aimed to gain contextual insights on the intervention and experiences of food security through thematic analysis.ResultsA total of 177 adults participated. Food insecurity increased incrementally over 12 months e.g. moderate to severe from 35% to 57% and severe from 16% to 39%. FIES score increased overtime from 2.57 to 4.31 (md= -1.74 (-2.79, -0.44). Mean DD score (consuming ≥5 of 10 food groups) decreased overtime from 3.33 (95% C.I. 2.93,3.73) to 2.47 (95% C.I. 1.84, 3.11), md=0.86 (-0.14, 1.46). However , there was an increase in daily fruit and vegetable consumption from 1.87 to 2.36, (md=-0.49 (-0.88,-0.11). Mean BMI decreased from 28 to 25.7 over 12 months, (md=2.3 (1.02, 4.79). BMI ≥25 decreased from 64% to 48%. Adjusting for age, sex, education; household size, there was a significant cross-sectional association between the FIES score and BMI, (p=0.034, 95% C.I. 0.00,0.03) at baseline. Significant longitudinal associations were observed between the FIES score and DD (p=0.015), and the FIES score and BMI (p=0.016) when adjusted for time. The qualitative data point to complex concurrent impacts of the volcanic-eruption and the COVID-19 pandemic, including food insecurity through job losses, displacement of usual food sources and limited access to market and food-aid.ConclusionOur quantitative results suggest that the backyard garden intervention was not associated with a decrease in food insecurity or increase