scholarly journals Childhood Obesity Prevention and Federal Food Policy Approaches

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_2) ◽  
pp. 1704-1704
Author(s):  
Parvaneh Yavari ◽  
Thelma Jane Pritzl
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Childhood Obesity ◽  
Food Insecurity ◽  
Children And Adolescents ◽  
Weight Status ◽  
The United States ◽  
Review Article ◽  
Assistance Program ◽  
New Findings ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Objectives To investigate the potential mechanisms by which child care food program CCFP and/or supplemental nutrition assistance program SNAP can impact on food insecurity, dietary intake, and weight status of preschool children. Methods This review article is based on the new findings and valid published papers by searching pubmed, google scholar, and/or educational and governmental resources. Results Childhood obesity is considered the most serious health issue in the United States among children and adolescents. In 2009–2010, it was estimated that 26.7% of 2-to-5-year-olds (more than 1 in 4 children) were already overweight or obese. in 2013–2014, about 1 in 6 children and adolescents ages 2 to 19 were obese. Children with obesity are at serious risk for cardiovascular disease. Childhood obesity is also related to mental health issues. The medical care costs of obesity in the United States in 2008 were estimated to be $147 billion per year. According to the Centers for Disease Control, it is much easier to affect children's food preferences or enthusiasm for physical activity at preschool ages. For Florida WIC participants in 2010, childhood obesity in 10-to-17-year-olds was estimated at 17.8%. Yet, the number of Florida children living in households affected by food insecurity at any point during the period 2007–2009 was 934,000 compared to 773,000 in 2016–2018, which shows a 6% reduction in food insecurity. In Florida, the number of participants in the SNAP was 2603,185 in 2010 compared with 3347,518 in 2018. In a recent study, household food insecurity was associated with higher child adiposity related outcomes. Conclusions More research is needed to investigate the impact of improving dietary pattern on food insecurity and on childhood obesity. Since childhood obesity increases the risk of chronic disease and disability later in life, we need an in-depth study f the relationship between food insecurity and childhood obesity, including the pattern and trend of this relationship by demographic characteristics among children. It is important to examine the potential mechanisms by which CCFP and/or SNAP could create healthy impact on child health status. Funding Sources No funding resource for this review article.

scholarly journals Food Insecurity in the United States: Identification, Treatment, and Implications

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 772-773
Author(s):  
Rose Ann DiMaria-Ghalili ◽  
Connie Bales ◽  
Julie Locher
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
At Risk ◽  
Food Insecurity ◽  
Well Being ◽  
The United States ◽  
Health Clinic ◽  
High Risk Population ◽  
Geriatric Syndrome ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Food insecurity is an under-recognized geriatric syndrome that has extensive implications in the overall health and well-being of older adults. Understanding the impact of food insecurity in older adults is a first step in identifying at-risk populations and provides a framework for potential interventions in both hospital and community-based settings. This symposium will provide an overview of current prevalence rates of food insecurity using large population-based datasets. We will present a summary indicator that expands measurement to include the functional and social support limitations (e.g., community disability, social isolation, frailty, and being homebound), which disproportionately impact older adults, and in turn their rate and experience of food insecurity and inadequate food access. We will illustrate using an example of at-risk seniors the association between sarcopenia, the age-related loss of muscle mass and function, with rates of food security in the United States. The translational aspect of the symposium will then focus on identification of psychosocial and environmental risk factors including food insecurity in older veterans preparing for surgery within the Veterans Affairs Perioperative Optimization of Senior Health clinic. Gaining insights into the importance of food insecurity will lay the foundation for an intervention for food insecurity in the deep south. Our discussant will provide an overview of the implications of these results from a public health standpoint. By highlighting the importance of food insecurity, such data can potentially become a framework to allow policy makers to expand nutritional programs as a line of defense against hunger in this high-risk population.

scholarly journals Hispanic Maternal Perception of Preschoolers’ Bodyweight Status in Samples from the United States of America and Mexico

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_2) ◽  
pp. 1101-1101
Author(s):  
Summer Wilmoth ◽  
Yolanda Flores-Peña ◽  
Leah Carrillo ◽  
Elana Martinez ◽  
Erica Sosa ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Childhood Obesity ◽  
Obesity Prevention ◽  
Weight Status ◽  
The United States ◽  
Overweight And Obesity ◽  
Actual Rate ◽  
Actual Weight ◽  
Hispanic Mothers ◽  
The Us

Abstract Objectives Childhood obesity is a major public health concern, which disproportionally affects Hispanic children in the United States (US) and Mexico. Mothers are key influencers to their children's health and growth. As part of a pilot obesity prevention study, Hispanic mothers’ perception of their preschoolers’ weight status was assessed to inform the development of intervention strategies. Methods Study subjects were Hispanic mothers and their preschoolers between the ages of 3 and 5 enrolled in participating Head Star Centers in Texas, US or kindergartens in Northern Mexico. Upon informed consent, mothers completed a self-administered questionnaire assessing their perception of their preschoolers’ weight status. Preschoolers’ body weight and height were measured; and their actual weight status was classified using the CDC's age and gender specific BMI references. Results Preliminary data included 85 and 294 child-mother pairs from US and Mexico, respectively. The US sample had a higher rate of overweight and obesity (35%) in comparison to the Mexico sample (19%). There was a great discrepancy between mothers’ perception and their children's actual weight status in both samples. Although only approximately 5% of children were underweight, 14% of American and 24% of Mexican mothers perceived their children being underweight. Contrarily, only 4.8% of American mothers perceived their children as a little overweight or obese, as compared to the actual rate of 35%. Similarly, only 5% of Mexican mothers perceived their children as a little overweight or obese, as compared to the actual rate of 19%. Conclusions Hispanic mothers in the US and Mexico appear to worry about their normal weight children being underweight, while overlooking the overweight and obesity problem. Early childhood obesity prevention programming is needed to aggressively address Hispanic mothers’ preference of chubby children, and the mothers’ underestimation of overweight and obesity among their preschoolers. Funding Sources The Mexico's National Science and Technology Council & The Kellogg´s Institute of Nutrition and Health.

Abstract P140: The Association of Common Genetic Loci with Childhood Obesity in 1,612 Hispanic/Latino Children and Adolescents From Across the United States and Mexico

Circulation ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 135 (suppl_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Lindsay Fernández-Rhodes ◽  
Mariaelisa Graff ◽  
Jonathan Bradfield ◽  
Yujie Wang ◽  
Esteban J Parra ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Childhood Obesity ◽  
Children And Adolescents ◽  
Risk Allele ◽  
The United States ◽  
Latino Children ◽  
European Descent ◽  
Genome Wide ◽  
A Genome ◽  
Hispanic Latinos

Childhood obesity is a global health concern due to its potential to increase cardiometabolic risk across the life course. In the United States (US) the burden of childhood obesity is highest among Hispanic/Latinos, in particular children or adolescents of Mexican descent. Although the genetic epidemiology of childhood obesity has been studied previously, the potential for novel childhood obesity loci in Hispanic/Latinos and the generalizability of previously reported loci to Hispanic/Latino children and adolescents are still unknown. Thus we aimed to conduct a genome-wide association study of childhood obesity in 1,612 Hispanic/Latino children and adolescents (2-18 years) collected as part of one Mexican (n=794 Mexico City Study) and two US (n=362 Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia; n=456 Viva La Familia Study) studies, and to generalize 11 previously reported childhood obesity loci from European descent samples to our Hispanic/Latino samples. Obesity cases and controls were defined by BMI-for-age percentiles based on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention smoothed and sex-specific growth curves from 2000, wherein cases had percentiles ≥95 th and controls had percentiles ≤85 th . Each study performed a genome-wide logistic regression analysis of single nucleotide polymorphism (SNPs) after adjusting for sex, population stratification and relatedness, as applicable. We combined study results for SNPs >10 minor allele counts and imputation quality ≥0.5 using fixed-effect inverse-variance weighted meta-analysis. A priori, we estimated that in our sample (n effective =1,498) we would have >80% power to detect common SNPs (>15% minor allele frequency) across the genome (p<5x10 -8 ) that increase the odds of childhood obesity of 55% per risk allele. Generalizability at 11 known childhood obesity loci was defined as p<0.05 and directional consistency with the previously reported obesity-increasing allele. We found 5 suggestive childhood obesity loci (p<4x10 -6 ), including a SNP that associated with an increased odds of childhood obesity of 54% per risk allele (73% frequent) at ARHGAP21, which is expressed in an enhancer region in brain, muscle and adipose tissues and has been previously implicated with trunk fat mass in Viva la Familia at another SNP (r 2 <0.08). Of the 11 known childhood obesity loci, 9 were directionally consistent (binomial p=0.03). SEC16B and TMEM18 generalized to Hispanic/Latinos (p≤0.01), corresponding to a 27% and 40% increased odds of obesity per risk allele (22-88% frequency). These preliminary results suggest the presence of novel loci for childhood obesity and the generalizability of genetic loci discovered in samples of European descent to Hispanic/Latinos, albeit with stronger effect sizes. Future work will attempt to identify additional Hispanic/Latino obesity cases and controls to replicate the suggestive associations.

scholarly journals Federal, State, and Local Nutrition Policies for Cancer Prevention: Perceived Impact and Feasibility, United States, 2018

2020 ◽  
Vol 110 (7) ◽  
pp. 1006-1008
Author(s):  
Lauren Lizewski ◽  
Grace Flaherty ◽  
Parke Wilde ◽  
Ross Brownson ◽  
Claire Wang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Cancer Prevention ◽  
The United States ◽  
Federal State ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Assistance Program ◽  
Nutrition Policies ◽  
Perceived Impact ◽  
State And Local ◽  
The Impact

Objectives. To assess stakeholder perceptions of the impact and feasibility of 21 national, state, and local nutrition policies for cancer prevention across 5 domains in the United States. Methods. We conducted an online survey from October through December 2018. Participants were invited to take the survey via direct e-mail contact or an organizational e-newsletter. Results. Federal or state Medicare/Medicaid coverage of nutrition counseling and federal or state subsidies on fruits, vegetables, and whole grains for participants in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program were the policies rated as having the highest perceived impact and feasibility. Overall, the 170 respondents rated policy impact higher than policy feasibility. Polices at the federal or state level had a higher perceived impact, whereas local policies had higher perceived feasibility. Conclusions. Our findings might guide future research and advocacy that can ultimately motivate and target policy actions to reduce cancer burdens and disparities in the United States.

scholarly journals Perspective: The Convergence of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) and Food Insecurity in the United States

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jason M Nagata ◽  
Hilary K Seligman ◽  
Sheri D Weiser
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Food Insecurity ◽  
The United States ◽  
Micronutrient Deficiencies ◽  
Supplemental Nutrition ◽  
Assistance Program ◽  
Assistance Programs ◽  
United States Food ◽  
Households With Children ◽  
Nutrition Assistance

ABSTRACT During the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, food insecurity has doubled overall and tripled among households with children in the United States. Food insecurity and COVID-19 may exacerbate one another through bidirectional links, leading to a syndemic, or sequential disease clusters, which exacerbate one another. Experiencing food insecurity may be associated with macronutrient and micronutrient deficiencies, which can weaken host defenses, thus increasing susceptibility to COVID-19. Food insecurity is associated with chronic medical conditions, which may afford a higher risk of severe COVID-19 illness. People experiencing food insecurity may have increased exposure to COVID-19 while procuring food. People with COVID-19 may be unable to work, generate income, and procure food while quarantined, which may exacerbate food insecurity. Clinicians should screen for food insecurity during the COVID-19 pandemic and provide referrals to food-assistance programs when appropriate. Policymakers should expand benefits for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) to address increases in the depth and breadth of food insecurity during the COVID-19 pandemic.

scholarly journals Food Insecurity in a Low-Income, Predominantly African American Cohort Following the COVID-19 Pandemic

2021 ◽  
Vol 111 (3) ◽  
pp. 494-497
Author(s):  
Tamara Dubowitz ◽  
Madhumita Ghosh Dastidar ◽  
Wendy M. Troxel ◽  
Robin Beckman ◽  
Alvin Nugroho ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
African American ◽  
Food Insecurity ◽  
Low Income ◽  
The United States ◽  
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program ◽  
Food Bank ◽  
Assistance Program ◽  
Nutrition Assistance ◽  
National Trends ◽  
The Impact

Objectives. To examine the impact of COVID-19 shutdowns on food insecurity among a predominantly African American cohort residing in low-income racially isolated neighborhoods. Methods. Residents of 2 low-income African American food desert neighborhoods in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, were surveyed from March 23 to May 22, 2020, drawing on a longitudinal cohort (n = 605) previously followed from 2011 to 2018. We examined longitudinal trends in food insecurity from 2011 to 2020 and compared them with national trends. We also assessed use of food assistance in our sample in 2018 versus 2020. Results. From 2018 to 2020, food insecurity increased from 20.7% to 36.9% (t = 7.63; P < .001) after steady declines since 2011. As a result of COVID-19, the United States has experienced a 60% increase in food insecurity, whereas this sample showed a nearly 80% increase, widening a preexisting disparity. Participation in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (52.2%) and food bank use (35.9%) did not change significantly during the early weeks of the pandemic. Conclusions. Longitudinal data highlight profound inequities that have been exacerbated by COVID-19. Existing policies appear inadequate to address the widening gap.

Food Assistance Programs and Food Security

2014 ◽  
Author(s):  
Craig Gundersen
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Food Security ◽  
Food Insecurity ◽  
The United States ◽  
Food Assistance ◽  
Negative Consequences ◽  
Food Assistance Programs ◽  
Assistance Program ◽  
Assistance Programs ◽  
Nutrition Assistance

Food insecurity is a leading public-health challenge in the United States today. This is primarily due to the magnitude of the problem—about 50 million persons are food insecure—and the serious negative health and other outcomes associated with being food insecure. This chapter first defines the measure used to delineate whether a household is food insecure. The measure, the Core Food Security Module (CFSM), is based on 18 questions about a household’s food situation. From the responses, a household is defined as food secure, low food secure, or very low food secure, with the latter two categories defined as “food insecure.” I next discuss the extent of food insecurity in the United States across various dimensions, the key determinants of food insecurity, and the multiple negative consequences associated with food insecurity. Two of the key policy tools used to address food insecurity are the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (formerly known as the Food Stamp Program) and the National School Lunch Program. A brief overview and definition of the eligibility criteria for each program is provided along with a discussion of their respective impacts on food insecurity. This chapter concludes with four major current challenges pertaining to food insecurity and food assistance programs.

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