TABLE 4.
Healthy food voucher programs’ outcomes based on the evaluated studies.
| Outcomes evaluated | Number of resources reporting this outcome (% out of all resources) | Characteristics of results | Results1 | Overall interpretation of the evaluated studies2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Healthy food purchase | 21 (39%) | Number (%) of articles quantitatively reporting positive effects, location, and references |
n (%): 10 (48%) Locations: Pennsylvania, United States; LA, United States; North Carolina, United States; Overall United States; Ethiopia; United Kingdom References: [40,[56], [57], [58],64,71,73,[80], [81], [82]] 3 |
Most evaluated evidence on HFVPs demonstrates that they may be effective in increasing the purchase of eligible healthy foods. |
| Number (%) of articles qualitatively reporting positive effects, location, and references |
n (%): 10 (48%) Locations: England; UK; United States; British Columbia (Canada); Scottland References: [34,36,42,45,49,50,52,55,75,76] |
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| Number of articles reporting null results, location, and references |
n (%): 1 (5%) Location: UK Reference: [37] |
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| Healthy food consumption | 34 (63%) | Number (%) of articles quantitatively reporting positive effects, location, and references |
n (%): 22 (65%) Locations: Pennsylvanya, United States; LA, United States; San Francisco, United States; Rhode Island, United States; Wyoming, United States; Michigan, United States; Overall, United States; England; Ethiopia; France; Indonesia; Wales; South Korea References: [33,38,39,47,48,53,[56], [57], [58],61,63,65,66,69,[70], [71], [72],75,[77], [78], [79],81] 3 |
The effectiveness of HFVPs in increasing the consumption of eligible healthy foods has shown mixed results. However, the majority of evaluated studies indicate that participants have increased their consumption of healthy foods. Reported reasons for null results include lack of transportation and equipment for food storage and preparation. |
| Number (%) of articles qualitatively reporting positive effects, location, and references |
n (%): 10 (16%) Locations: France; England; British Columbia (Canada); United States; Haiti; Utah, United States; Scottland References: [34,46,49,[50], [51], [52],55,62,78,85] |
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| Number of articles reporting null results, location, and references |
n (%): 6 (18%) Locations: France; San Francisco, United States; California, United States; Overall United States; UK References: [41,68,69,67,78] |
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| Diet quality indicators | 13 (24%) | Number (%) of articles quantitatively reporting positive effects, location, and references |
n (%): 8 (62%) Locations: Ethiopia; Mongolia; Ecuador; South Korea; LA and San Francisco; United States; Overall United States References: [32,47,56,57,70,80,83,86] 3 |
The effectiveness of HFVPs in increasing diet quality indicators has shown mixed results in the evaluated evidence. Reported reasons for null results include insufficient amount of the benefit to generate a robust effect, inflation and rising food prices, and short intervention length. |
| Number (%) of articles qualitatively reporting positive effects, location, and references |
n (%): 2 (15%) Locations: Hati; United States References: [55,85] |
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| Number of articles reporting null results, location, and references |
n (%): 5 (38%) Locations: San Francisco, United States; Overall United States; British Columbia (Canada); Ethiopia References: [43,56,59,68,80] 3 |
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| Food security | 10 (19%) | Number (%) of articles quantitatively reporting positive effects, location, and references |
n (%): 8 (80%) Locations: Mongolia; Ecuador; British Columbia (Canada); Ethiopia; Wyoming, United States; San Francisco, United States; Overall, United States References: [32,44,53,66,68,72,80,83] |
Most evaluated evidence on HFVPs demonstrates that they are effective in increasing the food security of participants. |
| Number (%) of articles qualitatively reporting positive effects, location, and references |
n (%): 1 (10%) Location: Scotland Reference: [49] |
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| Number of articles reporting null results, location, and references |
n (%): 2 (20%) Locations: Mongolia; California, United States References: [32,67] |
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| Nutrition knowledge | 5 (9%) | Number (%) of articles quantitatively reporting positive effects, location, and references |
n (%): 3 (60%) Locations: Ethiopia; Cameroon References: [80,81,84] |
All evidence on HFVPs combined with nutrition education demonstrates that they are effective in increasing nutrition knowledge. |
| Number (%) of articles qualitatively reporting positive effects, location, and references |
n (%): 2 (40%) Locations: British Columbia (Canada); Haiti References: [46,85] |
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| Number of articles reporting null results, location, and references | n (%): 0 (0%) | |||
| Physical health indicators | 6 (11%) | Number (%) of articles quantitatively reporting positive effects, location, and references |
n (%): 5 (83%) Locations: Ethiopia; Wales; Cameroon; San Francisco, United States; Overall, United States References: [57,66,76,77,84] 3 |
The effectiveness of HFVPs in improving physical health indicators has shown mixed results in the reviewed evidence, varying based on the specific indicator being evaluated. |
| Number (%) of articles qualitatively reporting positive effects, location, and references | n (%): 0 (0%) | |||
| Number of articles reporting null results, location, and references |
n (%): 2 (33%) Locations: France; Overall, United States References: [57,79]∗3 |
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| Mental health | 4 (7%) | Number (%) of articles quantitatively reporting positive effects, location, and references | n (%): 0 (%) | The effectiveness of HFVPs in improving mental health has shown mixed results in the evaluated evidence, with positive outcomes reported in qualitative evaluations. |
| Number (%) of articles qualitatively reporting positive effects, location, and references |
n (%): 3 (75%) Locations: British Columbia (Canada); Scotland References: [45,46,49] |
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| Number of articles reporting null results, location, and references |
n (%): 1 (25%) Location: British Columbia (Canada) Reference: [44] |
Percentages are based on articles including the specific outcome listed.
HFVP, healthy food voucher program; LA, Los Angeles; UK, United Kingdom; WIC, The Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children.
1
Studies may be in the “Positive Impact Observed” cell and “Null Results” cell if positive results were found in one indicator or subgroup of the population studied and null results were observed in another indicator or subgroup (e.g., adults vs. children).
2
Interpretation is based on the evaluated studies. No formal quality assessment was conducted, so these statements should be interpreted with caution.
3
Includes review studies of the United States WIC program.