(P02-108-25) Associations Between Accessing Healthy Food Options and Having Risk of Hypertension Among Baltimore Food Pantry Clients

Objectives: Food pantries play a crucial role in tackling food insecurity, especially among low-income populations, who may have a greater risk for diet-related diseases such as hypertension (HTN). We aimed to fill the literature gap by examining associations between the healthfulness of foods received at pantries and risk for HTN in a sample of Baltimore pantry clients.

Methods: Extant baseline data were analyzed from pantry clients (N=61) in a larger pilot trial across pre-packaged (n=3), client-choice (n=2), or multiple-option (n=1) model pantries (N=6 total). The validated Food Assortment Scoring Tool (FAST) was used to measure the nutritional value of foods available at pantries using a score of 0-100. Clients’ systolic (SP) and diastolic (DP) values were categorized into four blood pressure (BP) groups: normal, elevated (risk of HTN), high (HTN stage 1), and very high (HTN stage 2 and HTN crisis). ANOVA and Bonferroni post-hoc tests assessed differences in mean FAST scores across the four BP groups. Associations between FAST scores, percent pantry foods consumed at home, pantry food distribution methods, and HTN risk were analyzed using linear regressions. All statistical analyses were conducted in Stata.

Results: Clients were primarily Black/African American (73.8%) and had low incomes. Almost half (n=30) had very high BP, 27.9% (n=17) had high BP, and 8.2% (n=5) had elevated BP. Only 14.8% (n=9) had normal BP. Neither statistically significant differences in mean FAST scores across BP groups nor associations between FAST scores and BP values were found. However, clients with 76-100% of household-consumed foods from pantries were more likely to have lower SP (p < 0.05). Also, clients who received foods from pantries with multiple distribution methods were more likely to have a lower DP (p < 0.05).

Conclusions: We identified a notable relation among eating more pantry-source foods at home, multiple food distribution methods, and having lower SP/DP in a sample of low-income Baltimore adults, suggesting consistent access to pantry foods may be vital in regulating HTP risk for those experiencing food insecurity. Future research should find out this relation in pantries with varying food sourcing and distribution methods.

Funding Sources: National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute of the National Institutes of Health