scholarly journals Self-administration of a food security scale by adolescents: item functioning, socio-economic position and food intakes

2005 ◽  
Vol 8 (7) ◽  
pp. 853-860 ◽  
Author(s):  
Martin C Gulliford ◽  
Deepak Mahabir ◽  
Cheryl Nunes ◽  
Brian Rocke
Keyword(s):  
Food Security ◽  
Food Insecurity ◽  
Reliability And Validity ◽  
Self Administration ◽  
Item Score ◽  
Economic Variables ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Frequent Consumption ◽  
Economic Position ◽  
Socio Economic Variables

AbstractObjectiveTo evaluate the reliability and validity of a six-item food security scale when self-administered by adolescents.DesignCross-sectional questionnaire survey including the six-item food security measure, socio-economic variables and a food-frequency questionnaire.SettingRepresentative sample of 29 schools in Trinidad.SubjectsIn total 1903 students aged approximately 16 years.ResultsItem affirmatives ranged from 514 (27%) for the ‘balanced meal’ item to 128 (7%) for the ‘skipped or cut meals often’ item and 141 (7%) for the ‘hungry’ item. Item-score correlations ranged from 0.444 to 0.580. Cronbach's α was 0.77. Relative item severities from the Rasch model ranged from −1.622 (standard error 0.043) for the ‘balanced meal’ item to 1.103 (0.068) for the ‘skipped or cut meals often’ item and 0.944 (0.062) for the ‘hungry’ item. The ‘hungry’ item gave a slightly lower relative severity in boys than girls. Food insecurity was associated with household overcrowding (adjusted odds ratio comparing highest and lowest quartiles 2.61, 95% confidence interval 1.75 to 3.91), lack of pipe-borne water in the home, low paternal education or paternal unemployment. After adjusting for socio-economic variables, food insecurity was associated with less frequent consumption of fruit (0.75, 0.60 to 0.94) or fish (0.72, 0.58 to 0.88) but more frequent consumption of biscuits or cakes (1.47, 1.02 to 2.11).ConclusionsThe food security scale provides a valid, reliable measure in adolescents, although young people report being hungry but not eating relatively more frequently than adults. Food-insecure adolescents have low socio-economic position and may eat less healthy diets.

scholarly journals Food insecurity, weight control practices and body mass index in adolescents

2006 ◽  
Vol 9 (5) ◽  
pp. 570-574 ◽  
Author(s):  
Martin C Gulliford ◽  
Cheryl Nunes ◽  
Brian Rocke
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Body Mass Index ◽  
Food Security ◽  
Food Insecurity ◽  
Body Mass ◽  
Weight Control ◽  
Free Time ◽  
Economic Variables ◽  
Physical Effort ◽  
Socio Economic Variables

AbstractObjectiveWe investigated whether experienced food insecurity was associated with weight control behaviour of adolescents.DesignA national survey of 16-year-old students with the six-item food security scale, questions concerning intentions of trying to change weight, physical activity patterns, and measurement of height and weight.SettingRepresentative sample of 29 schools in Trinidad, West Indies.SubjectsData analysed for 1903 subjects including 1484 who were food-secure and 419 who were food-insecure.ResultsIn the whole sample, food security status did not vary by body mass index (BMI) category. ‘Trying to gain weight’ and ‘spending most free time in activities involving little physical effort’ were each associated with lower BMI. ‘Trying to gain weight’ was more frequent in food-insecure subjects (135, 32%) than in food-secure subjects (369, 25%, P=0.012). After adjustment for BMI, age, sex, ethnicity and socio-economic variables, the adjusted odds ratio (OR) of ‘trying to gain weight’ for food-insecure subjects was 1.39 (95% confidence interval (CI) 1.07–1.82, P = 0.014). Food-insecure subjects (197, 47%) were more likely than food-secure subjects (575, 39%) to report that most of their free time was spent doing things that involved little physical effort (P = 0.003). This association was not explained by adjustment for BMI, age, sex and ethnicity (OR = 1.41, 95% CI 1.13–1.76, P = 0.002) or additional socio-economic variables (OR = 1.27, 95% CI 1.02–1.57, P = 0.033).ConclusionsAdolescents who experience food insecurity are more likely to intend to gain weight but engage in less physical activity than food-secure subjects with the same BMI.

scholarly journals Characteristics associated with changes in food security status among college students during the COVID-19 pandemic

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jessica Soldavini ◽  
Hazael Andrew ◽  
Maureen Berner
Keyword(s):  
College Students ◽  
Food Security ◽  
Food Insecurity ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Individual Characteristics ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Food Security Status ◽  
The Usa ◽  
Security Module ◽  
Adult Food

Abstract The prevalence of food insecurity in the USA has increased since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic; however, past studies have not examined how the food security status of college students has been impacted. The purpose of this study was to examine changes in the prevalence of food insecurity; determine the proportion of students experiencing a change in food security status; and identify characteristics associated with changes in food security status from before to during the COVID-19 pandemic among a sample of college students. We administered a cross-sectional online survey to students from a large public university in the Southeastern USA. The 10-item U.S. Adult Food Security Module was used to assess food security status during the spring 2020 semester both before and during the COVID-19 pandemic, and students self-reported a variety of individual characteristics. The overall prevalence of food insecurity increased by approximately one-third during the spring 2020 semester from before to during the COVID-19 pandemic. When examining the types of changes in food security status experienced by students, 12% improved, 68% stayed the same, and 20% worsened. A variety of characteristics were associated with an improvement or worsening of food security status category from before to during the pandemic. Similar to what is seen in other reports, we found that the overall proportion of college students in our sample experiencing food insecurity increased during the COVID-19 pandemic; however, some students showed improvements in food security status. Approaches for addressing food insecurity during and beyond the pandemic are needed.

scholarly journals Eating rough: food sources and acquisition practices of homeless young people in Adelaide, South Australia

2006 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 212-218 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sue Booth
Keyword(s):  
Food Security ◽  
Food Insecurity ◽  
Homeless Youth ◽  
South Australia ◽  
Food Sources ◽  
Snowball Sampling ◽  
Food Acquisition ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Related Services ◽  
City Agencies

AbstractObjectiveThe aim of this study was to determine the food sources and acquisition practices used by homeless youth in Adelaide. This work is part of a larger study that aimed to examine the extent and nature of food insecurity among homeless youth.DesignCross-sectional design involving quantitative and qualitative methods.SettingFour health and welfare inner-city agencies serving homeless youth in Adelaide, South Australia.SubjectsA sample of 150 homeless youth aged between 15 and 24 years recruited from these agencies. Fifteen were selected via snowball sampling for interview.ResultsUse of welfare food sources was high (63%). Food from welfare agencies was supplemented by unorthodox food acquisition methods such as theft (65%), begging for money for food (61%), begging for food items (44%) and asking for help from friends and relatives (34%). Reasons given for non-usage of welfare food services included affordability, access, being too busy, shame or embarrassment.ConclusionsFood insecurity is a salient issue for some homeless youth in Adelaide. Clarifying food acquisition practices of food-insecure homeless youth is essential for rational planning and improvement of food-related services to meet their needs. Such an understanding also underpins the development of broader public policy responses that improve individual and household skills and resources to acquire food and ensure food security. Nutrition professionals, welfare professionals and policy-makers need to work sensitively with welfare food agencies and others to improve food access and food security for homeless youth.

scholarly journals Enhancing Social Support System for Improving Food Security Among the Elderly Headed Household in Communal Areas of Zimbabwe

2013 ◽  
Vol 2 (3) ◽  
pp. 46 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kefasi Nyikahadzoi ◽  
Byron Zamasiya ◽  
George Alex Muchinako ◽  
Charles Dziro
Keyword(s):  
Social Capital ◽  
Food Security ◽  
Food Insecurity ◽  
Dietary Diversity ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
Farm Income ◽  
Positive Contribution ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Communal Areas ◽  
Food Insecurity Access

The study sought to establish factors that contribute towards food security among elderly headed households and then seek ways of enhancing them. The study was conducted in Mudzi District in Mashonaland East Province of Zimbabwe. Data was collected from wards 11, 12 and 16. The study used cross sectional household data collected using a structured questionnaire. Two measures of food security are used; namely household food insecurity access score and household dietary diversity score. The results showed that food insecurity access score was statistically higher for elderly headed household when compared to those headed by younger people. The study revealed that social capital, remittances, and off farm income generating projects can increase the elderly headed household’s likelihood of being food secure. The study also showed that public assistance is not making a positive contribution towards food security of elderly headed household. This paper argues that it is important for government and civil society to promote social capital and support channels of remittances to elderly headed households in communal areas.

scholarly journals Exploring the Impact of Crises on Food Security in Lebanon: Results from a National Cross-Sectional Study

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (16) ◽  
pp. 8753
Author(s):  
Maha Hoteit ◽  
Youssef Al-Atat ◽  
Hussein Joumaa ◽  
Suheir El Ghali ◽  
Rania Mansour ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Food Security ◽  
Food Insecurity ◽  
Coping Strategies ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Assessment System ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
The People ◽  
Food Consumption Score ◽  
The Government ◽  
The Impact

This study aims to explore the prevalence and correlates of food insecurity among Lebanese households since the ordeals of COVID-19, economic crisis, and Beirut port explosions. At the core of the study, a mobile application entitled Nutrition Assessment System (NAS) that simplified the data collection was used as toolkit and a technical test was carried out in all Lebanese governorates between November 2020 and March 2021. Findings show that food insecurity is an immediate problem for households in Beirut and in many governorates in Lebanon. Nine in every 16 households ate less than 2 meals per day and more than 70% of them skipped their meals to spare food. Even though half the population studied had a low food consumption score, 82.4% of the people were not relying on livelihood coping strategies. However, more than three out of ten of these households relied on at least three food-based coping strategies. In addition, as for the livelihoods, this assessment found that most Lebanese households reported a drop in income along with an expansion in debt incurrence in the last 24 months to be able to buy food. Improving food security in Lebanon requires effort not only on the part of the government, but through regional and international actions.

scholarly journals Food Insecurity and Associated Factors in Brazilian Undergraduates during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Nutrients ◽  
2022 ◽  
Vol 14 (2) ◽  
pp. 358
Author(s):  
Bruna Leal Lima Maciel ◽  
Clélia de Oliveira Lyra ◽  
Jéssica Raissa Carlos Gomes ◽  
Priscilla Moura Rolim ◽  
Bartira Mendes Gorgulho ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Food Insecurity ◽  
Diet Quality ◽  
Skin Color ◽  
Associated Factors ◽  
Mental Distress ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Black Skin ◽  
Logistic Regressions ◽  
Socio Economic Variables

Undergraduates may face challenges to assure food security, related to economic and mental distress, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study aimed to assess food insecurity and its associated factors in undergraduates during the COVID-19 pandemic. An online cross-sectional study was conducted from August 2020 to February 2021 with 4775 undergraduates from all Brazilian regions. The questionnaire contained socio-economic variables, the validated Brazilian food insecurity scale, and the ESQUADA scale to assess diet quality. The median age of the students was 22.0 years, and 48.0% reported income decreasing with the pandemic. Food insecurity was present in 38.6% of the students, 4.5% with severe food insecurity and 7.7% moderate. Logistic regressions showed students with brown and black skin color/race presented the highest OR for food insecurity; both income and weight increase or reduction during the pandemic was also associated with a higher OR for food insecurity, and better diet quality was associated with decreased OR for food insecurity. Our study showed a considerable presence of food insecurity in undergraduates. Policy for this population must be directed to the most vulnerable: those with brown and black skin color/race, who changed income during the pandemic, and those presented with difficulties maintaining weight and with poor diet quality.

scholarly journals Elderly Perception of Distance to the Grocery Store as a Reason for Feeling Food Insecurity—Can Food Policy Limit This?

Nutrients ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (10) ◽  
pp. 3191
Author(s):  
Robert Gajda ◽  
Marzena Jeżewska-Zychowicz
Keyword(s):  
Food Security ◽  
Food Insecurity ◽  
Food Policy ◽  
Multiple Correspondence Analysis ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
Grocery Store ◽  
Chi Square ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Food Purchase

The sense of food insecurity in a group of elderly people may be determined by the perception of distance to food outlets. The aim of the study was to assess the relationship between the perception of food insecurity by the elderly and their perception of the distance between the places of residence and food purchase. A cross-sectional quantitative survey was carried out in 2019–2020 amongst 762 Polish elderly living in Świętokrzyskie and Śląskie Voivodeship. The assessment of the relationships between the perceived food insecurity due to living too far away from the grocery shops and socio-demographic features was performed using multiple correspondence analysis (MCA), chi-square tests, and Phi and Cramér’s V coefficients. Too great a distance to the place of food purchase was the cause of a lack of a sense of food security in 20.5% of the study sample, especially in men, people aged 75 and more, people living in a rural environment and people living alone. People reporting a lack of food due to the distance to the place of purchase showed socio-demographic characteristics similar to those of people declaring a lack of a sense of food security. Reduced food consumption due to the distance from the place of sale, including of fish (24.8%), some fruits (18.9%) and vegetables (15.4%) and beef (17.3%), may contribute to the deterioration of the diet and, as a result, health conditions. Including access to places of the sale of food in food policy as a factor contributing to ensuring the food security of older people can help to maintain a better quality of life and avoid exclusion. Especially in a situation of limited independence, food insecurity in elders due to causes other than financial limitations should be a focus of food policy.

scholarly journals Sex Differences in the Association Between Food Insecurity and Obesity Among College Students

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_2) ◽  
pp. 181-181
Author(s):  
Aseel El Zein ◽  
Karla Shelnutt ◽  
Sarah Colby ◽  
Geoffrey Greene ◽  
Wenjun Zhou ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
College Students ◽  
Logistic Regression ◽  
Food Security ◽  
Food Insecurity ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
High Food ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Logistic Regression Models ◽  
Food And Agriculture ◽  
Increased Risk

Abstract Objectives This study aimed to assess the association between food insecurity and obesity and to examine whether it varies by sex. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted in spring 2017 among college students from eight U.S. institutions. Participants (n = 683) completed the USDA Adult Food Security Survey and had their weight and height measured by researchers. Multivariate logistic regression models were used to estimate the sex-specific associations between food insecurity and obesity (BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2), after adjusting for socioeconomic covariates. Results Overall, 25.4% of students identified as food insecure and 10.5% were obese. The prevalence of obesity increased as the level of food insecurity increased, from 5.2% for those with high food security, 13.4% for those with marginal food security, to 17.4% and 21.6% for students with low and very low food security. In logistic regression analysis, marginal, low and very low food security students had an odds ratio of 2.83 (95% CI: 1.43, 5.57), 3.86 (95% CI: 1.88, 7.91), and 5.05 (95% CI:, 2.44, 10.48) of obesity compared to students with high food security, exhibiting a dose-response relationship. Among females, having marginal (OR = 4.21, 95% CI: 1.70, 9.75), low (OR = 4.51, 95% CI: 1.40, 12.47), or very low food security (OR = 7.08, 95% CI: 2.60, 18.41) predicted higher odds of obesity compared to female students with high food security. Among males, those with low food security had higher odds of obesity (OR = 6.40, 95% CI: 1.78, 20.7). Conclusions The association between food insecurity and obesity in U.S. college students remained after adjustment for multiple socio-economic factors. Overall, food insecure females experienced an increase in the risk of obesity as food insecurity increased; however, only males with low food security had an increased risk of obesity. Programs directed toward obesity prevention need to address any level of food insecurity as a risk factor in females, and target males with low food security. Although beyond the scope of this study, it is possible that programs to reduce food insecurity may help prevent obesity in college students. Funding Sources This material is based upon work that is supported by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, U.S. Department of Agriculture, under award number 2014–67,001-21,851.

scholarly journals Self-Reported Food Insecurity and Depression among the Older Population in South Africa

Psych ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 34-43 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ghose Bishwajit ◽  
Komlan Kota ◽  
Amos Buh ◽  
Sanni Yaya
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
South Africa ◽  
Regression Analysis ◽  
Food Security ◽  
Food Insecurity ◽  
Elderly Population ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Explanatory Variables ◽  
Multivariable Regression

South Africa represents one of the most rapidly aging countries in sub-Saharan Africa with a rising burden of age-related psychological morbidities. Despite having one of the highest human development scores in the region, the country faces serious poverty and food insecurity related challenges. Previous studies have shown a positive association between food insecurity and poor mental health among the adult population, however there is no systematic evidence on this association among the elderly population in an African setting. In the present study, we aimed to address this research gap by analyzing cross-sectional data (n = 931) on the over-50 population (>50 years) from the SAGE (Study on global AGEing and adult health) Well-Being of Older People Study (WOPS) of the World Health Organization, conducted between 2010 and 2013. The outcome variable was perceived depression and the explanatory variables included several sociodemographic factors including self-reported food insecurity. The independent associations between the outcome and explanatory variables were measured using multivariable regression analysis. Results showed that close to a quarter of the population (22.6%, 95% CI = 21.4, 24.7) reported having depression in the last 12 months, with the percentage being markedly higher among women (71.4%). In the multivariable regression analysis, self-reported food insecurity was found to be the strongest predictor of depression among both sexes. For instance, severe food insecurity increased the odds of depression by 4.805 [3.325, 7.911] times among men and by 4.115 [2.030, 8.341] times among women. Based on the present findings, it is suggested that national food security programs focus on promoting food security among the elderly population in an effort to improve their mental health status. Nonetheless, the data were cross-sectional and the associations can’t imply causality.

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