Food Insecurity Is Associated with Higher Added Sugar and Sugar-Sweetened Beverage Intake Among Low-Income Elementary Aged Children (P04-059-19)

Abstract Objectives Food insecurity is adversely associated with physical and mental health and wellbeing in children. The mechanism that underlies this association is assumed to be dietary intake; however, evidence linking food insecurity to child dietary intake has been mixed. This study examined the relationship between self-reported food insecurity and dietary intake among low-income 7–12 year old children. Methods Cross-sectional data were used from TX Sprouts, a school-based cooking, gardening, and nutrition intervention in 16 central Texas schools. A sample of 680 children completed two 24-hour dietary recalls (24hDR) and a questionnaire that included an adapted version of the 5-item Child Food Security Assessment (CFSA). Four ordinal groups, High Food Security (HFS), Marginal Food Security (MFS), Low Food Security (LFS), and Very Low Food Security (VLFS), were generated based on summed scores from the CFSA. The Health Eating Index-2015 and dietary components (total energy, macronutrients, and servings of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs)) were derived from 24hDR. Multivariate linear regression models were used to examine the associations between food security and dietary outcomes. A priori covariates included sex, age, ethnicity, and daily energy. Results Children in the study were 45% male, 54% Hispanic, and had an average age of 9.3 years. Main effects of food security were significant for added sugar (P < 0.03) and SSBs (P < 0.04). Compared to children with HFS (referent), those who were LFS and VLFS consumed more added sugar (33.2 g vs. 39.9 g and 40.6 g, P < 0.03 and P < 0.003; respectively). Compared to the HFS referent group, those who were MFS and VLFS had higher mean intakes of SSBs (0.6 vs. 0.8 and 0.9 servings, P < 0.03 and P < 0.01; respectively). There were no significant associations between food security and other dietary outcomes. Conclusions Self-reported food insecurity among children (7–12 years of age) was associated with higher added sugar and SSB intake. Future research should assess if the positive association between food insecurity and added sugar and SSB intake contributes to adverse health outcomes. Funding Sources This study was supported by funding from the National Institutes of Health, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI).

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Child-Report of Food Insecurity Is Associated with Diet Quality in Children

Nutrients ◽

10.3390/nu11071574 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 11 (7) ◽

pp. 1574 ◽

Cited By ~ 10

Author(s):

Matthew J. Landry ◽

Alexandra E. van den Berg ◽

Fiona M. Asigbee ◽

Sarvenaz Vandyousefi ◽

Reem Ghaddar ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Food Security ◽

Food Insecurity ◽

Low Income ◽

Nutrition Intervention ◽

Dietary Quality ◽

Mental Wellbeing ◽

Security Assessment ◽

Linear Regression Models ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Low Income Children

Food insecurity (FI) is adversely associated with physical and mental wellbeing in children. The mechanism underlying this association is assumed to be dietary intake; however, evidence has been mixed. This study examined the relationship between self-reported FI and dietary quality among low-income children. Cross-sectional data were used from TX Sprouts, a school-based cooking, gardening, and nutrition intervention. A sample of 598 children completed two 24-h dietary recalls and a questionnaire including an adapted version of the 5-item Child Food Security Assessment (CFSA). Food security was categorized as food secure or FI based on summed CFSA scores. Dietary quality was assessed using the Health Eating Index-2015 (HEI-2015). Mixed effects linear regression models examined associations between FI and dietary quality. Children were 64% Hispanic, 55% female, and were 9.2 years old on average. Adjusting for sociodemographic characteristics, BMI percentile, and energy intake, FI was associated with lower HEI-2015 total scores (β = −3.17; 95% CI = −5.28, −1.06; p = 0.003). Compared to food secure children, FI children had lower greens and beans (2.3 vs. 1.9, p = 0.016), seafood and plant protein (2.0 vs. 1.6, p = 0.006), and added sugar (7.4 vs. 8.0, p = 0.002) component scores. Interventions targeting low-income and FI children should investigate ways to improve dietary quality.

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Psychiatric Disorders and Alcohol Consumption Among Low-Income African Americans:Gender Differences

Brain Sciences ◽

10.3390/brainsci9040086 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 9 (4) ◽

pp. 86 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Sharon Cobb ◽

Shervin Assari

Keyword(s):

Alcohol Consumption ◽

Alcohol Use ◽

Linear Regression ◽

Low Income ◽

Regression Models ◽

Future Research ◽

Linear Regression Models ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Men And Women ◽

Compulsive Disorder

Background: Although cooccurrence of nonsubstance use disorders (non-SUDs) and substance use is well-established in the literature, most of what we know in this regard is derived from studies that have recruited predominantly White sample populations. As a result, there is a gap in knowledge on this link among low-income African Americans (AAs). There is also a need to understand how low-income AA men and women differ in these associations. Objective: To study whether there is an association between number of non-SUDs and amount of alcohol consumption by AA adults, and whether this association varies between AA men and women. Methods: This cross-sectional study recruited a nonrandom sample of 150 AA adults with non-SUDs (i.e., major depression, bipolar disorders, obsessive–compulsive disorder, paranoid disorder, panic disorder, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and schizoaffective disorder). The independent variable was the number of non-SUDs. The dependent variable was the amount of alcohol consumption. Age, socioeconomic status (educational attainment and household income), and self-rated health were covariates. Gender was the moderator. Linear regression models were used to analyze the data. Results: A higher number of non-SUDs was not associated with a higher amount of alcohol use in the pooled sample of AA adults. We, however, found a significant interaction between gender and number of non-SUDs on the amount of alcohol use, suggesting a stronger effect of non-SUDs on alcohol consumption in AA men than in AA women. Gender-stratified linear regression models showed a positive association between number of non-SUDs and amount of alcohol consumption in AA men but not in AA women. Conclusion: Non-SUDs impact alcohol use of AA men but not women. Future research should test whether AA men may have a higher tendency to turn to alcohol to regulate their emotions and cope with psychological pain due to multiple non-SUDs. The results also suggest that integration of services for SUDs and non-SUDs may be more relevant to provision of mental health services for AA men than AA women.

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Food Security, Dietary Intake, and Foodways of Urban Low-Income Older South African Women: An Exploratory Study

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph18083973 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (8) ◽

pp. 3973

Author(s):

Feyisayo A Odunitan-Wayas ◽

Mieke Faber ◽

Amy E Mendham ◽

Julia H Goedecke ◽

Lisa K Micklesfield ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Food Security ◽

Dietary Intake ◽

Low Income ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Urban Setting ◽

African Women ◽

Healthy Foods ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Quality Diet ◽

South African Women

This cross-sectional study explored the differences in sociodemographics, dietary intake, and household foodways (cultural, socioeconomic practices that affect food purchase, consumption, and preferences) of food secure and food insecure older women living in a low-income urban setting in South Africa. Women (n = 122) aged 60–85 years old were recruited, a sociodemographic questionnaire was completed, and food security categories were determined. The categories were dichotomised into food secure (food secure and mild food insecurity) and food insecure (moderate and severe). A one-week quantified food frequency questionnaire was administered. Height and weight were measured to calculate body mass index (BMI, kg/m2). Most participants (>90%) were overweight/obese, unmarried/widowed, and breadwinners with a low monthly household income. Food insecure participants (36.9%) more frequently borrowed money for food (57.8% vs. 39.0%, p = 0.04), ate less so that their children could have more to eat (64.4%. vs. 27.3%, p = 0.001), and had higher housing density (1.2 vs. 1.0, p = 0.03), compared to their food-secure counterparts. Overall, <30% of participants met the WHO (Geneva, Switzerland) recommended daily servings of healthy foods (fruits, vegetables, and dairy products), but >60% perceived that they consumed an adequate amount of healthy foods. The overall low-quality diet of our cohort was associated with poor nutritional perceptions and choices, coupled with financial constraints.

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Comparing Trends Between Food Insecurity and Cigarette Smoking Among Adults in the United States, 1998 to 2011

American Journal of Health Promotion ◽

10.1177/0890117116660773 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 31 (5) ◽

pp. 413-416 ◽

Cited By ~ 10

Author(s):

Matthew C. Farrelly ◽

Paul R. Shafer

Keyword(s):

Food Security ◽

Cigarette Smoking ◽

Food Insecurity ◽

Low Income ◽

Economic Recession ◽

Population Level ◽

The United States ◽

Current Smoker ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Current Smoking

Purpose: Previous studies have shown that cigarette smoking is associated with higher rates and severity of food insecurity but do not address how population-level smoking rates change in response to changes in food security. Design: Trend analysis of serial cross-sectional data. Setting: Data from a representative survey of US households. Participants: Adults within households participating in both the Food Security Supplement and Tobacco Use Supplement of the Current Population Survey during 5 overlapping administrations from 1998 to 2011. Measures: A “current smoker” is defined as someone who indicated that they currently smoke on “some days” or “every day.” A household’s food security is coded as “secure” or “insecure,” according to responses to a food security scale, interpreted using a US Department of Agriculture standard. Analysis: Descriptive comparison of the roughly triennial trends in the prevalence of food insecurity and current smoking from 1998 to 2011. Results: The prevalence of food insecurity increased by 30% among adults overall versus 54% among current smokers, with most of the changes occurring following the economic recession of 2008 and 2009. Over this same period, the prevalence of current smoking declined by 33% among food-secure adults and only 14% among food-insecure adults. Conclusion: Food insecurity increased more markedly among adult smokers than nonsmokers, and the prevalence of smoking declined more slowly in food-insecure households, indicating that more low-income smokers are facing hunger, which may at least partly be due to buying cigarettes.

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Food Insecurity and Associated Factors in the Portuguese Population

Food and Nutrition Bulletin ◽

10.1177/156482651403500401 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 35 (4) ◽

pp. S395-S402 ◽

Cited By ~ 16

Author(s):

Luísa Álvares ◽

Teresa F. Amaral

Keyword(s):

Food Security ◽

Food Insecurity ◽

Low Income ◽

Short Form ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

National Health Survey ◽

Household Food Security ◽

Portuguese Population ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Socioeconomic And Demographic Factors

Background The burden of food insecurity in Portugal, and the socioeconomic and demographic factors that are related to this condition, are unknown. Objective To evaluate the frequency of food insecurity and to identify its associated characteristics in the Portuguese population. Methods Data from 3,552 heads of family respondents of the 2005/06 Portuguese National Health Survey were analyzed in a cross-sectional study. Food insecurity was evaluated with the use of the US Department of Agriculture Household Food Security Survey Module 6-Item Short Form. Chi-square tests and multivariate logistic regression models were conducted. Significance was indicated at p < .05. Results Among the respondents, 16.5% were food insecure and 3.5% had very low food security. The odds of being food insecure were highest for women (OR, 1.51; 95% CI, 1.20 to 1.91), smokers (OR, 1.56; 95% CI, 1.20 to 2.02), younger people (OR, 2.54; 95% CI, 1.69 to 3.80), unemployed people (OR, 3.04; 95% CI, 2.01 to 4.60), those with lower education (OR, 7.98; 95% CI, 4.73 to 13.49), and those with lower income (OR, 6.27; 95% CI, 4.23 to 9.30). Conclusions The present study explored for the first time the burden of food insecurity in Portugal, revealing that it was highly prevalent, affecting one in six Portuguese citizens. Low education and low income were the main factors associated with food insecurity.

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Food Security Status and Hair Cortisol among Low-income Mother-Child Dyads

Western Journal of Nursing Research ◽

10.1177/0193945919867112 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 41 (12) ◽

pp. 1813-1828 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Jiying Ling ◽

Lorraine B. Robbins ◽

Dongjuan Xu

Keyword(s):

Food Security ◽

Food Insecurity ◽

Low Income ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Hair Cortisol ◽

Significant Interaction Effect ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Food Security Status ◽

Mother And Child ◽

Low Income Families

This cross-sectional study among low-income mother-child dyads examined the relationship between food security status and hair cortisol concentration (HCC), and how mother and child food security status was interactively related to mothers’ perceived distress and coping. Data from 32 dyads were analyzed. Approximately 46.9% had household food insecurity, 37.5% children had food insecurity, and 34.4% mothers had food insecurity. Children with food insecurity had significantly higher HCC than those with food security. A significant interaction effect occurred between child food security status and race on children’s HCC, with White children’s HCC being more likely to be influenced by food security status. Mother food security and child food security status together explained about 6% of the variance in mothers’ HCC, 27% in perceived distress, and 18% in perceived coping. These findings indicate that assisting low-income families with food insecurity to get enough food can benefit both children’s and mothers’ mental health.

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Seasonal food insecurity and perceived social support in rural Tanzania

Public Health Nutrition ◽

10.1017/s1368980007246725 ◽

2007 ◽

Vol 10 (6) ◽

pp. 544-551 ◽

Cited By ~ 56

Author(s):

Craig Hadley ◽

Monique Borgerhoff Mulder ◽

Emily Fitzherbert

Keyword(s):

Social Support ◽

Food Security ◽

Dietary Intake ◽

Food Insecurity ◽

Ethnic Group ◽

Perceived Social Support ◽

Household Wealth ◽

Cross Sectional Survey ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Rural Tanzania

AbstractObjectivesTo examine whether the occurrence of seasonal food insecurity was related to ethnicity, household wealth and perceived social support, and to assess whether social support was more efficacious in protecting against food insecurity in wealthier households. Secondary objectives were to assess the association between past food insecurity, current dietary intake and perceived health.Design, setting and subjectsA sample of 208 randomly selected mothers from two ethnic groups living in the same villages in rural Tanzania participated in a cross-sectional survey.ResultsFood insecurity was highly prevalent in this area, particularly among the poorer ethnic group. Half of ethnically Sukuma households fell into the most food-secure category, compared with only 20% of ethnically Pimbwe households. Among both groups, measures of household wealth and social support were strongly associated with food security. Interestingly, social support appeared to be more effective among the wealthier ethnic group/community. Past food insecurity was also related to current indicators of dietary intake and women's self-perceptions of health.ConclusionGreater social support is associated with food security, suggesting that it may protect against the occurrence of seasonal food insecurity. Social support also interacts with wealth to offer greater protection against food insecurity, suggesting that increasing wealth at the community level may influence food insecurity through both direct and indirect means. Seasonal food insecurity also appears to have lasting effects that likely create and reinforce poverty.

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Preliminary validation and piloting of a comprehensive measure of household food security in Australia

Public Health Nutrition ◽

10.1017/s1368980017003007 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 21 (03) ◽

pp. 526-534 ◽

Cited By ~ 11

Author(s):

Sue Kleve ◽

Danielle Gallegos ◽

Stephanie Ashby ◽

Claire Palermo ◽

Rebecca McKechnie

Keyword(s):

Food Security ◽

Food Insecurity ◽

Household Food Security ◽

Future Research ◽

Validity And Reliability ◽

Australian Population ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Convenience Sample ◽

Financial Access ◽

Household Food

AbstractObjectiveTo investigate the psychometric properties, validity and reliability of a newly developed measure of food insecurity, the Household Food and Nutrition Security Survey (HFNSS), among an Australian population.DesignCross-sectional study.SettingMetropolitan areas of Melbourne, Australia, identified as very high, high or medium vulnerability in the 2008 Vulnerability Assessment for Mortgage, Petrol and Inflation Risks and Expenditure index.SubjectsA convenience sample of 134 adults (117 females and fifteen males, aged over 18 years).ResultsRasch modelling and factor analysis identified four items for exclusion. The remaining items yielded excellent reliability among the current sample and assessed three underlying components: the adult experience of food insecurity (component one), initial/periodic changes to children’s food intakes (component two) and progressive/persistent decreases in children’s food intakes (component three). Compared with the widely used US Department of Agriculture Food Security Survey Module, the HFNSS identified a significantly higher proportion of food insecurity; this is likely due to the HFNSS’s identification of food insecurity due to reasons other than (and including) limited financial access.ConclusionsThe HFNSS may be a valid and reliable tool for the assessment of food insecurity among the Australian population and provides a means of assessing multiple barriers to food security beyond poor financial access (which has been identified as a limitation of other existing tools). Future research should explore the validity and reliability of the tool among a more representative sample, as well as specifically among vulnerable population subgroups.

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Food security in Igloolik, Nunavut: an exploratory study

Polar Record ◽

10.1017/s0032247408008048 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 45 (3) ◽

pp. 225-236 ◽

Cited By ~ 23

Author(s):

James D. Ford ◽

Lea Berrang-Ford

Keyword(s):

Food Security ◽

Food Insecurity ◽

Food Systems ◽

Risk Groups ◽

Sample Population ◽

Physical And Mental Health ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Preliminary Identification ◽

Entry Points ◽

Inuit Community

ABSTRACTThis paper reports on an exploratory analysis examining the prevalence of food (in)security in the Inuit community of Igloolik, Nunavut, identifying high risk groups, and characterising conditions facilitating and constraining food security. A stratified cross-sectional food survey was administered to 50 Inuit community members in July 2007. 64% of the participants surveyed experienced some degree of food insecurity in the past year (July 2006–July 2007). Food insecurity among the sample population greatly exceeds the Canadian average. This is cause for concern given the negative physical and mental health impacts that have been documented for low nutritional status. The prevalence and severity of food insecurity differed among participants; females and those obtaining most of their food from the store were at highest risk of food insecurity. Consumption of traditional foods was significantly associated with increased food security. The study supports the need for further research to investigate key trends highlighted by the sample. Preliminary identification of potential trends contributes towards the goal of identifying entry points for policy aimed at strengthening northern Inuit food systems.

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Food Insecurity Is Associated with Increased Risk of Obesity in US College Students

Current Developments in Nutrition ◽

10.1093/cdn/nzaa120 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 4 (8) ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Aseel El Zein ◽

Sarah E Colby ◽

Wenjun Zhou ◽

Karla P Shelnutt ◽

Geoffrey W Greene ◽

...

Keyword(s):

College Students ◽

Food Security ◽

Dietary Intake ◽

Food Insecurity ◽

Weight Status ◽

Fruits And Vegetables ◽

The United States ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Added Sugars ◽

Increased Risk

ABSTRACT Background Food insecurity affects millions of Americans and college students are especially vulnerable. Little is known about the relation of food insecurity with weight status and dietary intake during this critical phase of emerging adulthood. Objectives We aimed to examine the sex-specific associations of food insecurity with obesity and dietary intake among college students. The study also explored these associations by meal plan (MP) enrollment. Methods This cross-sectional study included 683 second-year students at 8 universities in the United States. Food security status and dietary intake were assessed using the USDA Adult Food Security Survey and the Dietary Screener Questionnaire, respectively. On-site anthropometrics were measured by researchers. Results The prevalence of food insecurity at the universities ranged from 19.0% to 34.1% with a mean of 25.4% for the entire sample. Compared with high food security, marginal food security and food insecurity were associated with 3.16 (95% CI: 1.55, 6.46) and 5.13 (95% CI: 2.63, 10.00) times increased odds of obesity, respectively, exhibiting a dose–response relation. Food insecurity remained a significant predictor of obesity among both sexes after adjusting for sociodemographic variables. Food-insecure (FI) students had a significantly lower intake of fruits and vegetables and higher intake of added sugars than food-secure (FS) students. Obesity rate and added sugars consumption were higher among FI students with MPs than among FI students lacking MPs and FS students regardless of MP status. Among students with MPs, FS students had a higher intake of fruits and vegetables than FI students. Conclusions Food insecurity was associated with obesity and poor dietary intake among both sexes. Although MP subsidies may be a reasoned approach to combat food insecurity, it should be coupled with efforts to assist students in making healthy food choices. Registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT02941497.

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