Grantee Research Project Results
2023 Progress Report: Preventing Consumer Food Waste: Developing and Evaluating Household-Level Interventions
EPA Grant Number: R840535Title: Preventing Consumer Food Waste: Developing and Evaluating Household-Level Interventions
Investigators: Taillie, Lindsey Smith , Ammerman, Alice
Institution: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
EPA Project Officer: Hoysala, Sneha
Project Period: April 1, 2023 through May 9, 2025
Project Period Covered by this Report: April 1, 2023 through March 31,2024
Project Amount: $732,045
RFA: Research to Reduce Consumer Food Waste in the United States Request for Applications (RFA) (2022) RFA Text | Recipients Lists
Research Category: Endocrine Disruptors , Food Waste
Objective:
The overall objective of this research is to design and evaluate a household food waste prevention intervention, with a focus on low-income households. To accomplish this goal, the research team established the following four objectives: (1) establish a Community Advisory Committee to guide the Community Engagement Plan; (2) develop and evaluate household-level food waste prevention interventions and assess impact on objectively measured food waste; (3) stimulate impact of scaling up food waste interventions on environmental outcomes and estimate cost-effectiveness; and (4) disseminate the intervention materials to a broader audience.
Progress Summary:
Objective 1: The research team had their first meeting with the Community Advisory Committee (CAC) in September, where they received valuable guidance and insights for their planned research activities for engaging lower income households and households with children. The CAC members represent a variety of state, county, tribal and community organizations championing issues relevant to reducing food waste, including agriculture and sustainable food systems, food safety, food insecurity, and food resource management strategies for low-income households. We plan to continue meeting with the CAC 1-2 times per year throughout this grant.
Objective 2: The research team successfully completed data collection for Objective 2a, designing the intervention, using a series of four human-centered design workshops with 10 participants. Of these 10 participants, 6 had a household income <50k/year and 8 live with children in their household, aligning with the goals outlined in the research proposal. Through these workshops, the researchers identified the household food waste pathway in various household types (singles/couples; families with children; multigenerational families). They identified key factors that contribute to household food waste and motivations to reduce food waste. Researchers also developed prototypes for the design of the household food waste intervention.
Future Activities:
During the subsequent reporting period, the research team plans to complete their write-up of the results from Objective 2a and begin the activities of Objective 2b, evaluating the intervention. Using the results from the design thinking workshops of Objective 2a, they will first develop the final tailored, web-based household food waste self-assessment and intervention toolkit. The web-based toolkit will be designed to identify individual and household level factors contributing to food waste and offer interventions tailored to these root causes. The intervention tools will be designed and tested around the RE-AIM framework to ensure that the intervention can be implemented and scaled up effectively. Once developed, the researchers will pilot the assessment and intervention in 5 households to gain insight on intervention feasibility using structured interviews. They will refine the assessment and intervention based on feedback gained during the pilot of the intervention. Then, the researchers will randomize 200 participant households to either the intervention or control (control group will receive limited information on reducing food waste). The intervention group will participate in 4 intervention sessions over 6 weeks.
Supplemental Keywords:
community-based, educational, cost-benefit analysis, public health, North Carolina, municipal solid waste, food wasteProgress and Final Reports:
Original AbstractThe perspectives, information and conclusions conveyed in research project abstracts, progress reports, final reports, journal abstracts and journal publications convey the viewpoints of the principal investigator and may not represent the views and policies of ORD and EPA. Conclusions drawn by the principal investigators have not been reviewed by the Agency.