College of Public Health and Human Sciences

This study examined changes in food security status over time in a sample of rural, low-income mothers. Independent samples t-tests determined differences between food-secure and food-insecure mothers on variables such as employment status, food resource management skills, food assistance, and economic well-being at 3 points in time. Findings indicate that mothers in food-secure households were significantly more likely to possess food resource management skills than mothers in food-insecure households in the first wave of data, but that this relationship was not found when examined in the second and third waves. Findings emphasize the need for further research and testing with nutrition education programs to identify the extent to which skills and resources protect rural, low-income families from food insecurity.