Effects of Participation in a Community‐Based Food Cooperative on Food Security and Dietary Behaviours: A Pre‐Post Study

INTRODUCTION: Community-based food cooperatives have shown potential in addressing food insecurity, but longitudinal evidence assessing their impact is limited. This study evaluated the effects of participating in a community-based food cooperative on food insecurity, dietary behaviours, and physical health outcomes among Australian adults. METHODS: A pre-post survey of new cooperative members measured demographics, household food insecurity status (United States Department of Agriculture 6-item Household Food Security Survey Module (HFSSM)), dietary behaviours (servings/day of core food groups), and objective physical health indicators (weight, waist circumference, and blood pressure). Participants were classified as secure (HFSSM score = 0) or insecure (HFSSM score ≥ 1). A McNemar's test assessed the change in proportion of participants classified as food insecure from baseline to follow-up, and paired t-tests or non-parametric equivalents compared other outcomes. RESULTS: At baseline, 58 participants completed surveys, and 25 completed physical data collection. Participants were primarily female (93.1%), 18-33 or 35-44 years old (37.9% each), and of European background (81.0%). The proportion of participants reporting food security improved from baseline (54.2%) to follow-up (66.7%) (p = 0.041). Importantly, participants who were food secure remained so at follow-up. Those who were food insecure also reported more favourable improvements in dietary behaviours and meal preparation habits, though many of these did not reach statistical significance. CONCLUSION: Participation in a community-based food cooperative was associated with improved food security among Australian adults. SO WHAT?: These findings highlight the potential of community-based food cooperatives to reduce food insecurity and support their integration into broader health promotion and food security strategies.