scholarly journals The relationship between diet quality and the severity of household food insecurity in Canada

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-39
Author(s):  
Joy Hutchinson ◽  
Valerie Tarasuk

Abstract Objective: To examine the relationship between the dietary quality of Canadian children and adults and household food insecurity status. Design: Dietary intake was assessed with one 24-h recall. Households were classified as food secure or marginally, moderately or severely food insecure based on their responses to the Household Food Security Survey Module. We applied multivariable analyses of variance to determine whether % energy from ultra-processed foods, fruit and vegetable intake, Healthy Eating Index (HEI) scores, macronutrient composition, and micronutrient intakes per 1000 kcal differed by food insecurity status after accounting for income, education and region. Analyses were run separately for children 1-8 years and 9-18 years and men and women 19-64 years of age. Setting: 10 provinces in Canada Participants: Respondents to the 2015 Canadian Community Health Survey-Nutrition, aged 1-64 years, with complete food insecurity data and non-zero energy intakes. N=15909 Results: Among adults and children, % energy from ultra-processed foods was strongly related to severity of food insecurity, but no significant trend was observed for fruit and vegetable intake or HEI score. Carbohydrate, total sugar, fat, and saturated fat intake/1000 kcal did not differ by food insecurity status, but there was a significant negative trend in protein/1000 kcal among older children, a positive trend in sodium/1000 kcal among younger children, and inverse associations between food insecurity severity and several micronutrients/1000 kcal among adults and older children. Conclusions: With more severe household food insecurity, ultra-processed food consumption was higher and diet quality was generally lower among both adults and children.

2019 ◽  
Vol 149 (9) ◽  
pp. 1642-1650 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lauren E Au ◽  
Sonya M Zhu ◽  
Lilly A Nhan ◽  
Kaela R Plank ◽  
Edward A Frongillo ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT Background Limited research exists on the relationship between food insecurity and children's adiposity and diet and how it varies by demographic characteristics in the United States. Objective The aim of this study was to assess the relationship between household food insecurity and child adiposity-related outcomes, measured as BMI (kg/m2) z score (BMI-z), weight status, and waist circumference, and diet outcomes, and examined if the associations differ by age, sex, and race/ethnicity. Methods Data collected in 2013–2015 from 5138 US schoolchildren ages 4–15 y from 130 communities in the cross-sectional Healthy Communities Study were analyzed. Household food insecurity was self-reported using a validated 2-item screener. Dietary intake was assessed using the 26-item National Cancer Institute's Dietary Screener Questionnaire, and dietary behaviors were assessed using a household survey. Data were analyzed using multilevel statistical models, including tests for interaction by age, sex, and race/ethnicity. Results Children from food-insecure households had higher BMI-z (β: 0.14; 95% CI: 0.06, 0.21), waist circumference (β: 0.91 cm; 95% CI: 0.18, 1.63), odds of being overweight or obese (OR: 1.17; 95% CI: 1.02, 1.34), consumed more sugar from sugar-sweetened beverages (β: 1.44 g/d; 95% CI: 0.35, 2.54), and less frequently ate breakfast (β: −0.28 d/wk; 95% CI: −0.39, −0.17) and dinner with family (β: −0.22 d/wk; 95% CI: −0.37, −0.06) compared to children from food-secure households. When examined by age groups (4–9 and 10–15 y), significant relationships were observed only for older children. There were no significant interactions by sex or race/ethnicity. Conclusions Household food insecurity was associated with higher child adiposity-related outcomes and several nutrition behaviors, particularly among older children, 10–15 y old.


Obesity ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 29 (1) ◽  
pp. 143-149
Author(s):  
Gregory S. Keenan ◽  
Paul Christiansen ◽  
Charlotte A. Hardman

Author(s):  
Ourega-Zoé Ejebu ◽  
Stephen Whybrow ◽  
Lynda Mckenzie ◽  
Elizabeth Dowler ◽  
Ada Garcia ◽  
...  

In the absence of routinely collected household food insecurity data, this study investigated what could be determined about the nature and prevalence of household food insecurity in Scotland from secondary data. Secondary analysis of the Living Costs and Food Survey (2007–2012) was conducted to calculate weekly food expenditure and its ratio to equivalised income for households below average income (HBAI) and above average income (non-HBAI). Diet Quality Index (DQI) scores were calculated for this survey and the Scottish Health Survey (SHeS, 2008 and 2012). Secondary data provided a partial picture of food insecurity prevalence in Scotland, and a limited picture of differences in diet quality. In 2012, HBAI spent significantly less in absolute terms per week on food and non-alcoholic drinks (£53.85) compared to non-HBAI (£86.73), but proportionately more of their income (29% and 15% respectively). Poorer households were less likely to achieve recommended fruit and vegetable intakes than were more affluent households. The mean DQI score (SHeS data) of HBAI fell between 2008 and 2012, and was significantly lower than the mean score for non-HBAI in 2012. Secondary data are insufficient to generate the robust and comprehensive picture needed to monitor the incidence and prevalence of food insecurity in Scotland.


2020 ◽  
Vol 16 (3) ◽  
pp. 381-390
Author(s):  
Ali Gholami ◽  
Leila M. Jahromi ◽  
Mehran Shams-Beyranvand ◽  
Maryam Khazaee-Pool ◽  
Shohreh Naderimagham ◽  
...  

Background: The relationship between food insecurity and mental and physical components of health-related quality of life (HRQOL) has been less addressed by healthcare professionals. Objective: We aimed to investigate the relationship between household food insecurity and mental and physical components of HRQOL in a large sample of urban people and to determine whether household food insecurity has a negative effect on mental and physical components of HRQOL. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted across twenty-two districts of Tehran (capital of Iran) during 2011. The participants were selected through multistage cluster random sampling. Two questionnaires were used to measure household food insecurity and HRQOL in the study population, while descriptive and inferential statistics were applied to test the relationships between these two parameters. Results: The mean age of the study population was 44.5 ± 15.5 years and most were female (64.8%). The results of this study indicated an independent relationship between household food insecurity and different subscales of HRQOL (P<0.001). Household food insecurity had a significant negative relationship with physical (β= -5.93; P<0.001) and mental (β= -6.54; P<0.001) summary scores of HRQOL. Likewise, average scores on all subscales of HRQOL according to household food security status were significantly different (P<0.001). Conclusion: Food insecurity was associated with mental and physical components of HRQOL among urban participants and can be considered as a part of comprehensive interventions that target to improve general health.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Enza Gucciardi ◽  
Janet A Vogt ◽  
Margaret DeMelo ◽  
Donna E. Stewart

Exploration of the Relationship Between Household Food Insecurity and Diabetes in Canada


2021 ◽  
pp. 1-29
Author(s):  
Amanda Wyant

Women’s equality has been positively linked to household food security in many countries. Since women still do the bulk of food labor, women’s empowerment can lead to an increase in the allocation of resources toward food, improving food security. However, we do not know how country-level laws of gender equality intersect with household-level actions. This study examines household food insecurity from a cross-national and multilevel perspective. I explore the relationship between gender inequality (in terms of both opinions and laws) and household food insecurity. I use household data from the World Values Survey, Wave 6, collected in 2010 through 2014. The analytic sample includes 42 countries and 37,152 individuals. My country-level data come from the World Bank and the Social Institutions and Gender Index. I find that positive measures of women’s empowerment at the household level reduce a household’s likelihood of food insecurity. Surprisingly, I find that country-level policies do not always create the intended outcomes of increased equality. Legal equality between men and women at the country level (financial, legal, and land ownership) does not have a direct relationship with food insecurity. However, legal equality moderates the relationship between food insecurity and country-level variables (agricultural exports and urbanization) and household-level variables (income). The research suggests that the inclusion of gender equality complicates development theory.


Diabetes Care ◽  
2009 ◽  
Vol 32 (12) ◽  
pp. 2218-2224 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. Gucciardi ◽  
J. A. Vogt ◽  
M. DeMelo ◽  
D. E. Stewart

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