Household Debt and Children’s Risk of Food Insecurity

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mackenzie Brewer
Keyword(s):  
Food Insecurity ◽  
Panel Study ◽  
The United States ◽  
Household Food Insecurity ◽  
Lower Income ◽  
Medical Debt ◽  
Household Food ◽  
Unsecured Debt ◽  
Households With Children ◽  
Medical Bills

AbstractIn the United States, almost one in six households with children cannot access adequate food for a healthy and active lifestyle. Although food insecurity disproportionately affects lower-income households, it remains unclear why some lower-income families are more vulnerable to food insecurity than others. Household unsecured debt, such as debt incurred from credit cards and medical bills, may be an unexplored financial constraint associated with food insecurity. Using data from the 2014 Child Development Supplement (CDS) of the Panel Study of Income Dynamics (PSID), I assess whether unsecured debt, by amount and type of debt, is associated with food insecurity among lower-income households with children (N=1,319). Results indicate that medical debt increases odds of household food insecurity even after accounting for key sociodemographic and economic risk factors, while no relationship exists between other forms of unsecured debt and food insecurity. Moreover, although liquid assets decrease the risk of household food insecurity and attenuate the harmful effects associated with unpaid medical bills, few households have enough liquid assets to mitigate the risks associated with medical debt. Efforts to prevent medical debt may be essential for eliminating food insecurity among lower-income households with children.

scholarly journals The Relation Between Household Food Insecurity and Children's Height in Canada and the United States: A Scoping Review

2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (6) ◽  
pp. 1126-1137
Author(s):  
Andrée-Anne Fafard St-Germain ◽  
Arjumand Siddiqi
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Food Insecurity ◽  
Well Being ◽  
The United States ◽  
High Income ◽  
Household Food Insecurity ◽  
Household Food ◽  
Optimal Linear ◽  
High Risk Populations ◽  
Families With Children

ABSTRACT Household food insecurity is a determinant of health and marker of material deprivation. Although research has shown that food insecurity is associated with numerous adverse health, developmental and nutritional outcomes among children in high-income countries, little is known about its impact on children's height, an important marker of nutritional status and physical development. We reviewed evidence on the relation between experience-based measures of food insecurity and the height of children aged 0–18 y in Canada and the United States. The search, conducted in Embase, Medline, CINAHL, ProQuest, Web of Science, and EconLit from the inception of the databases to October 2017, identified 811 records that were screened for relevance. A total of 8 peer-reviewed studies, 2 from Canada and 6 from the United States, met the inclusion criteria and were summarized. Five studies found no association between food insecurity and children's height. One study found that having taller children in the household predicted more severe food insecurity, whereas 2 studies found that more severe experiences of food insecurity were associated with shorter height among children from ethnic minority populations. These results suggest that household food insecurity may not be associated with height inequalities among children in Canada and the United States, except perhaps in certain high-risk populations. However, the few studies identified for review provide insufficient evidence to determine whether food insecurity is or is not associated with children's height in these countries. Given the importance of optimal linear growth for current and future well-being, it is critical to understand how different modifiable environmental circumstances relate to children's height to help establish priorities for intervention. Families with children are disproportionately affected by food insecurity, and more research explicitly designed to examine the association between household food insecurity and children's height in high-income countries is needed.

scholarly journals Using Household Fit Indices to Examine the Psychometric Quality of Food Insecurity Measures

2017 ◽  
Vol 78 (6) ◽  
pp. 1089-1107 ◽  
Author(s):  
George Engelhard ◽  
Matthew P. Rabbitt ◽  
Emily M. Engelhard
Keyword(s):  
Food Security ◽  
Food Insecurity ◽  
The United States ◽  
Household Food Security ◽  
Household Food Insecurity ◽  
Fit Indices ◽  
Household Level ◽  
Household Food ◽  
Psychometric Quality

This study focuses on model–data fit with a particular emphasis on household-level fit within the context of measuring household food insecurity. Household fit indices are used to examine the psychometric quality of household-level measures of food insecurity. In the United States, measures of food insecurity are commonly obtained from the U.S. Household Food Security Survey Module (HFSSM, 18 items) of the Current Population Survey Food Security Supplement (CPS-FSS). These measures, in various forms, are used to inform national programs and policies related to food insecurity. Data for low-income households with children from recent administrations of the HFSSM (2012-2014) are used in this study ( N = 7,324). The results suggest that there are detectable levels of misfit with Infit mean square error (MSE) statistics ranging from 6.73 % to 21.33% and Outfit MSE statistics ranging from 5.31% to 9.68%. The data suggest for Outfit MSE statistics that (a) male respondents, (b) respondents with lower levels of education, and (c) respondents who did not report participating in SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, formerly the Food Stamp Program) tend to have more misfit. For Infit MSE statistics, lack of homeownership appears to be a predictor of misfit. The implications of this research for future research, theory, and policy related to the measurement of household food insecurity are discussed.

Household Food Insecurity and Parent-to-Child Aggression

2018 ◽  
Vol 24 (2) ◽  
pp. 213-221 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jesse J. Helton ◽  
Dylan B. Jackson ◽  
Brian B. Boutwell ◽  
Michael G. Vaughn
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Food Insecurity ◽  
Physical Aggression ◽  
The United States ◽  
Fragile Families ◽  
Household Food Insecurity ◽  
Child Aggression ◽  
Household Food ◽  
Nutritional Deficits

Nearly 13 million children in the United States live in households struggling with food insecurity. Although biosocial theories suggest a strong link between the lack of food and child maltreatment, and a handful of studies have established a correlation between nutritional deficits and family violence, it is unclear if household food insecurity itself is associated with physical and psychological child abuse apart from other issues related to poverty. The current study examines this possibility by analyzing data from the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study ( n = 2,330). Sixteen percent of households were food insecure, and food insecurity at Wave 3 was associated with an increased use of parent-to-child psychological and physical aggression at the follow-up interview. This relationship held even after controlling for important covariates, such as maternal depression and impulsivity. We conclude by discussing what additional research is required, as well as how our findings might intersect with social policy on this topic.

scholarly journals Household and Child Food Insecurity and Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factors in Lower-Income Adolescents Aged 12 – 17 Years from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2007 – 2016

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-21
Author(s):  
Aarohee P. Fulay ◽  
Kelsey A. Vercammen ◽  
Alyssa J. Moran ◽  
Eric B. Rimm ◽  
Cindy W. Leung
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Food Security ◽  
Food Insecurity ◽  
Household Food Insecurity ◽  
Lower Income ◽  
Cvd Risk Factors ◽  
Cvd Risk ◽  
Health And Nutrition ◽  
Household Food ◽  
Weighted Prevalence

Abstract Objective: Household food insecurity is associated with cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors in low-income adults, but research on these associations among adolescents is inconsistent. This study investigates whether household and child food insecurity is associated with CVD risk factors in lower-income adolescents. Design: Cross-sectional. Multivariable linear regression assessed the association between household and child food security and CVD risk factors. Household and child food security was measured using the United States Food Security Survey Module. The analyses were adjusted for adolescent’s age, sex, race/ethnicity, smoking status, physical activity, and sedentary time, as well as household income and the head-of-household’s education and marital status. Setting: United States. Participants: The sample was comprised of 2876 adolescents, aged 12-17 years, with household incomes at or below 300% federal poverty line from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) cycles 2007-2016. Results: The weighted prevalence of household food insecurity in the analytic sample was 33.4% and the weighted prevalence of child food insecurity was 17.4%. After multivariable adjustment, there were no significant associations between household and child food insecurity and BMI-for-age Z-score, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, HDL cholesterol, total cholesterol, fasting triglycerides, fasting LDL cholesterol, and fasting plasma glucose. Conclusions: Despite observed associations in adults, household food insecurity was not associated with CVD risk factors in a national sample of lower-income adolescents. Child food insecurity was also not associated with CVD risk factors. More research should be conducted to confirm these associations.

scholarly journals Why the World Should Not Follow the Failed United States Model of Fighting Domestic Hunger

2022 ◽  
Vol 19 (2) ◽  
pp. 814
Author(s):  
Joel Berg ◽  
Angelica Gibson
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Food Insecurity ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Broad Band ◽  
Safety Net ◽  
The United States ◽  
Household Food Insecurity ◽  
High Quality ◽  
Quality Healthcare ◽  
Household Food

Many industrialized nations have followed the lead of the United States (US) in reducing workers’ wages and cutting government safety nets, while giving their populaces the false impression that non-governmental organizations can meet the food and basic survival needs of their low-income residents. The history of the last 50 years and the global COVID-19 pandemic demonstrate why that is a mistake, leading to vastly increased household food insecurity, poverty, and hunger. This paper takes a close look at US data to help to better understand the significant impact US federal government policy measures had on limiting hunger throughout the pandemic and how we can learn from these outcomes to finally end hunger in America and other developed nations. The top three policy prescriptions vital in ending household food insecurity in the US and industrialized countries are as follows: (1) to create jobs; raise wages; make high quality healthcare and prescription medicine free; and ensure that high quality childcare, education, transportation, and broad-band access are affordable to all; (2) to enact a comprehensive “Assets Empowerment Agenda” to help low-income people move from owing to owning in order to develop middle-class wealth; and (3) when the above two steps are inadequate, ensure a robust government safety net for struggling residents that provides cash, food, and housing assistance.

scholarly journals Predictors of household food insecurity in the United States during the COVID-19 pandemic

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brianna N Lauren ◽  
Elisabeth R Silver ◽  
Adam S Faye ◽  
Jennifer A Woo Baidal ◽  
Elissa M Ozanne ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Food Insecurity ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Multivariable Analysis ◽  
The United States ◽  
Economic Stress ◽  
Household Food Security ◽  
Household Food Insecurity ◽  
Convenience Sample ◽  
Household Food

Objective: To examine associations between sociodemographic and mental health characteristics with household food insecurity as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak. Design: Cross-sectional online survey analyzed using univariable tests and a multivariable logistic regression model. Setting: The United States during the week of March 30, 2020. Participants: Convenience sample of 1,965 American adults using Amazon's Mechanical Turk (MTurk) platform. Participants reporting household food insecurity prior to the pandemic were excluded from analyses. Results: 1,517 participants reported household food security before the COVID-19 outbreak. Among this subset, 30% reported food insecurity after the COVID-19 outbreak, 53% were women and 72% were white. On multivariable analysis, race, income, relationship status, anxiety, and depression were significantly associated with incident household food insecurity. Black respondents, Hispanic/Latino respondents, and respondents with annual income less than $100,000 were significantly more likely to experience incident household food insecurity. Individuals experiencing incident household food insecurity were 2.09 (95% CI 1.58-2.83) times more likely to screen positively for anxiety and 1.88 (95% CI 1.37-2.52) times more likely to screen positively for depression. Conclusions: Food insecurity due to the COVID-19 pandemic is common, and certain populations are particularly vulnerable. There are strong associations between food insecurity and anxiety/depression. Public health interventions to increase the accessibility of healthful foods, especially for Black and Hispanic/Latino communities, are crucial to relieving the economic stress of this pandemic.

scholarly journals Household Food Insecurity is Associated with Higher Adiposity among US Schoolchildren Ages 10–15 Years: The Healthy Communities Study

2019 ◽  
Vol 149 (9) ◽  
pp. 1642-1650 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lauren E Au ◽  
Sonya M Zhu ◽  
Lilly A Nhan ◽  
Kaela R Plank ◽  
Edward A Frongillo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Waist Circumference ◽  
Food Insecurity ◽  
Weight Status ◽  
The United States ◽  
Household Food Insecurity ◽  
Older Children ◽  
Healthy Communities ◽  
Household Food ◽  
Race Ethnicity ◽  
The Relationship

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.

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