Overview
Altarum works with the state of Maine to evaluate and optimize their SNAP-Ed program, the nutrition education component of SNAP, which is the largest hunger safety net program in the United States.
Our Approach
As part of a multiyear assessment, Altarum evaluated Maine SNAP-Ed’s Pick a Better Snack program, a school-based nutrition intervention. We conducted an evaluation of 222 families using pre- and post-surveys to compare changes over time in fruit and vegetable consumption among students receiving the program and parents who received take-home materials.
Altarum also conducted a randomized telephone survey of 600 SNAP-recipients to evaluate Maine SNAP-Ed’s ability to reach low-income audiences with targeted messages promoting healthy eating.
Results
Altarum’s evaluation of the Pick a Better Snack program revealed positive dietary changes in both students and parents after the completion of the program, and helped make the case to continue the program. Additionally, we demonstrated that targeted nutrition messages are effective in reaching low-income communities. Our work in Maine has led to similar assessments in other states implementing SNAP-Ed.
Contact Us
Tara Fowler - PhD, MPH, CPH
Vice President, Population Health
Areas of Expertise- Applied Research and Analytics
- Maternal and Child Health
- Qualitative Research
Tara leads Altarum's population health work, including in the areas of women's health, military health, behavioral health, and eldercare. She has led a variety of multifaceted quantitative and qualitative research projects that deliver insights to leaders of government health agencies, from the Defense Health Agency to the Health Resources and Services Administration. Her recent work includes an evaluation of a HRSA-funded program implemented in 16 states to improve oral health of low-income pregnant women and infants. Tara holds a PhD in public health from the University of South Florida.