Prevalence and experiences of food insecurity among immigrant women connected to perinatal programs at a community-based organization in Edmonton, Canada

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to investigate the prevalence of household food insecurity among immigrant women connected to perinatal programs offered through a community-based organization in Edmonton, and to explore their experiences in coping with food insecurity.Design/methodology/approachThis study utilized a mixed methods research design. A community-based participatory research approach was used to engage health workers who were connected to immigrant women and families through the Multicultural Health Brokers Cooperative in Edmonton. Through the health workers a sample of 213 immigrant women connected to their perinatal programs completed the Household Food Security Survey. Following the survey, 17 women completed semi-structured interviews which were analyzed using content analysis.FindingsThe vast majority of women (94 percent (n=199)) lived in food insecure households, and 53 percent (n=112) in severely food insecure. In semi-structured interviews, women specifically described not having enough money to buy vegetables, fruit and meat, and perceiving a lack of control over foods they ate and offered to their families.Practical implicationsThis study highlights the need for support to be provided to immigrant families for acquiring healthy food in Canada.Originality/valueThe mixed methods design with a decent sample of often underrepresented research participants highlights an area in need of further research and greater support.

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Sustainable agricultural intensification practices and rural food security

British Food Journal ◽

10.1108/bfj-01-2017-0021 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 120 (2) ◽

pp. 468-482 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Iddrisu Yahaya ◽

Krishna P. Pokharel ◽

Abdul-Fatahi Alidu ◽

Fred Amofa Yamoah

Keyword(s):

Food Security ◽

Food Insecurity ◽

Training Programme ◽

Household Food Security ◽

Household Food Insecurity ◽

Content Type ◽

Household Food ◽

Resource Degradation ◽

Food Insecurity Access ◽

The Impact

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to understand the impact of participation in sustainable agricultural intensification practices (SAIPs) on household food security status in Northwestern Ghana. Design/methodology/approach The study utilised the Household Food Insecurity Access Scale (HFIAS) indicator for the measurement of food access data from 168 households in ten communities from the Northwestern region of Ghana for the analyses. Households were categorised into participating households (treatment) and non-participating households (control). The endogenous treatment effects model was employed to evaluate the impact of participation in SAIPs training on food insecurity access scale. Findings The results show that participation in SAIPs training lowers, on average, the household food insecurity access by 2.95 points, approximately an 11 per cent reduction in HFIAS score. Other significant factors found to influence household food insecurity access scale are age of household head, experience in farming, total acres owned by household, income level of the household and occupation of the head of the household. Research limitations/implications The training programme of participation in SAIPs has massive implications for food security, rural economy and farmers’ livelihoods. However, due to the unique conditions prevailing in Northwestern Ghana, the findings of this research are limited in terms of their generalisability. Future research direction in the area of SAIPs trainings and impact study replications in all qualifying rural food production areas in Ghana, which are susceptible to household food insecurity, will provide a national picture of the efficacy of SAIPs trainings on household food insecurity. Practical implications A proven means to decrease natural resource degradation, increase crops yields, and increase subsistence farmers’ income, and food security is an important intervention to resolve the seasonal food shortage, which last for five months in a typical year for agro-food-dependent farming communities in Northwestern Ghana. Social implications Ensuring household food security improvement and environmental sustainability will help improve living standards of food producers and reduce the adverse social challenges associated with food insecure communities such as health problems due to food deficiencies, social inequalities, environmental pollution and natural resource degradation in Northwestern Ghana. Originality/value The contribution of this paper is the novel thought and approach to examine the impact of the SAIPs trainings on household food security in Northwestern Ghana using the household food insecurity access scale indicator. The study also examined the factors that affect household food security using the endogenous treatment model, which also evaluates the impact of the training programme on the outcome variable.

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SNAP Participation Moderates the Association Between Household Food Insecurity and A1c Among Cambodian Americans With Depression

Current Developments in Nutrition ◽

10.1093/cdn/nzab035_013 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 5 (Supplement_2) ◽

pp. 105-105

Author(s):

Angela Bermudez-Millan ◽

Richard Feinn ◽

Chelsey Hahn ◽

Shanjida Arbie Jui ◽

S. Megan D. Berthold ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Food Security ◽

Food Insecurity ◽

Health Workers ◽

Household Food Security ◽

Household Food Insecurity ◽

Assistance Program ◽

Cambodian Americans ◽

Household Food ◽

Food Security Status ◽

Significant Difference

Abstract Objectives We tested whether participation in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) moderated the relation between household food security status and HbA1c, the gold standard measure of glycemic control, among Cambodian Americans with depression enrolled in a diabetes prevention trial. Methods Participants had elevated risk factors for type 2 diabetes and elevated depressive symptoms; recruits were excluded for extant diabetes. Community health workers assessed household food security status and SNAP participation via in-person interview. HbA1c levels from venous blood samples were ascertained using direct enzymatic assay. Results Among respondents (n = 189), 19% were food insecure, 41% received SNAP benefits, and mean HbA1c = 5.5%. There was a significant interaction between SNAP and food insecurity. HbA1c was highest among participants without SNAP who were food insecure. Simple effects analysis revealed a significant difference within the no SNAP group [Mean (SD) HbA1c: Secure = 5.38 (0.38), Insecure = 5.78 (0.36)] and no difference within the SNAP group [Secure = 5.61(0.44), Insecure = 5.61(0.55)]. Differences remained significant after controlling for demographic, socioeconomic, and clinical indicators. Conclusions SNAP may protect against the deleterious association between household food insecurity and elevated HbA1c. Funding Sources R01-DK103663 to Dr. Julie Wagner.

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Who suffers from food insecurity in Indonesia?

International Journal of Social Economics ◽

10.1108/ijse-03-2019-0196 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 46 (10) ◽

pp. 1186-1197

Author(s):

Eka Rastiyanto Amrullah ◽

Akira Ishida ◽

Ani Pullaila ◽

Aris Rusyiana

Keyword(s):

Food Security ◽

Food Insecurity ◽

Household Head ◽

Household Survey ◽

Household Food Security ◽

Food Category ◽

Data Set ◽

Content Type ◽

Household Food ◽

Individual Household

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to clarify the socioeconomic determinants of household food insecurity in Indonesia using individual household data obtained from the 2015 nationwide household socioeconomic and expenditure survey called Survei Sosial Ekonomi Nasional. Design/methodology/approach A stereotype logistic regression model is applied to detect factors determining household food security. Findings The results from the cross-analysis between calorie consumption and share of food expenditure to total household expenditure (Engel coefficient) indicate that 20.8 percent of households were in the “food insecure” category, 21.5 percent in the “lack of food” category, 26.6 percent in the “vulnerable” category and the remaining 31.2 percent in the “food secure” category. Research limitations/implications The main limitation relates to the data set because the collection was conducted in March 2015. Furthermore, the analysis is restricted because of the limited availability of information on socioeconomic factors of respondents. Further research based on the latest data set with more detailed information on respondents is necessary to deepen the discussion. Originality/value Researchers have not specifically discussed the factors determining household food security in Indonesia using reliable nationwide household survey data. The estimation results clearly indicate that a household fulfilling one or more of the following conditions is more likely to be in the “food insecure” category: many members, low education level of household head, divorced household head, household head is a smoker, household head engages in agriculture or construction work and residence is in rural or backward regions.

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Underweight and associated factors among children under five years in North Shewa Zone, Oromia, Ethiopia: An observational community-based study

F1000Research ◽

10.12688/f1000research.55680.1 ◽

2022 ◽

Vol 11 ◽

pp. 39

Author(s):

Tamiru Yazew

Keyword(s):

Food Security ◽

Food Insecurity ◽

Associated Factors ◽

Multivariate Logistic Regression Analysis ◽

Household Food Security ◽

P Value ◽

Household Food Insecurity ◽

Community Based ◽

Independent Variables ◽

Household Food

Background Acute and chronic child undernutrition is a continuous problem in Ethiopia. Therefore, this study was initiated to compare the prevalence of underweight and its associated factors among children aged 6-23 months in the Kuyu district, North Shewa zone, Oromia, Ethiopia. Methods An observational community-based study was conducted on 612 children (304 from household security and 308 from household food insecurity). A structured and standardize questionnaire was used in this study. Anthropometric measurements were generated using WHO standardize. Data was analyzed using SPSS version 20.0. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to identify the independent variables associated with underweight (weight-for-age) among children in household food security and insecurity, a p value less than 0.05 with 95%CI was considered as statistically significant. Results The results indicated that 30.9% [95%CI; 25.7, 36.2] and 36.7% [95% CI; 31.8, 42.5] of children were underweight for their age in household food security and insecurity. Low wealth status (AOR=3.2; 95%CI: 1.099, 9.275), poor dietary diets (AOR=5.2; 95%CI: 2.046, 13.27), and lack of breastfeeding for two years (AOR= 2.1; 95%CI= 1.78, 5, 42) were associated with underweight children in household food security. Whereas lack of antenatal care visits (AOR=0.52; 95%CI: 0.12, 0.68) and poor dietary diets (AOR=3.01; 95%CI= 2.1, 17.4) were other independent variables associated with underweight children in household food insecurity. Conclusions This study established that there was a high prevalence of underweight in children from Oromia. Therefore, introducing household income generating activities are vital interventions in order to overcome the problem of undernutrition in this region.

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A Community-based Survey of Household Food Insecurity and Associated Factors Among 2-6 Years Old Children in the Southeast of Iran

10.21203/rs.3.rs-80686/v1 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Sara Amaniyan ◽

Mitra sotoudeh ◽

Farhad Dadgar ◽

Mona Jonoush ◽

Mojtaba Vaismoradi

Keyword(s):

Food Security ◽

Food Insecurity ◽

Urban Area ◽

Household Food Security ◽

Department Of Agriculture ◽

Community Based ◽

Factors Affecting ◽

Household Food ◽

The Status ◽

Socio Demographic Factors

Abstract Background: To investigate the status of household food security and factors affecting it among 2-6 years old children in an urban area in the southeast of Iran.Methods: A community-based survey was conducted from September to January 2018 on 450 children aged 2-6 years who were selected using stratified cluster random sampling. They lived in six different areas in an urban area in the southeast of Iran. Data was collected using the U.S. Department of Agriculture Food Security questionnaire and anthropometric measurements. Results: The prevalence of food insecurity among children was 81.7% consisting of 2.6% without hunger, 9.2% with moderate hunger and 96.9% with severe hunger. The weight gains of those children who were in the insecurity group without hunger was 2.63 times lower than those children in the food security group. Also, chances of weight gain in the insecurity group without hunger and in the insecurity group with moderate hunger were less as 1.91 and 1.41 times, respectively.Conclusions: Food insecurity in children aged 2-6 years was influenced by various socio-demographic factors. Therefore, policy-makers should plan for improving the quality of life and health of the children through improving their food security.

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Food Insecurity Increased During the COVID-19 Pandemic in a Pediatric Cystic Fibrosis Population but Was Not Associated With Weight or Pulmonary Function

Current Developments in Nutrition ◽

10.1093/cdn/nzab029_058 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 5 (Supplement_2) ◽

pp. 257-257

Author(s):

Rebecca Youngs ◽

Julie Kennel ◽

Kavitha Kotha ◽

Irene Hatsu ◽

Susan Gemma

Keyword(s):

Cystic Fibrosis ◽

Food Security ◽

Pulmonary Function ◽

Food Insecurity ◽

Forced Expiratory Volume ◽

T Test ◽

Household Food Security ◽

Structured Interviews ◽

Household Food ◽

Food Security Status

Abstract Objectives This study's purpose is to determine changes in household food security status and nutrition-related anthropometrics and pulmonary function of children with Cystic Fibrosis during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods This retrospective study includede caregivers of children ages 2–18 years old with Cystic Fibrosis who had Ohio residency, a Forced Expiratory Volume in 1 second (FEV1) above 30% and consumed at least half of nutrient needs by mouth. After contacting all eligible households by phone, 30 subjects (50% response) enrolled. The validated 18 item Food Security survey module along with several supplemental questions was used to assess household food security status before and after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. A medical chart review collected demographics as well as weight (kg) and FEV1(%) for the visit closest to the start of the pandemic (Jan-Mar 2020) and the most current visit (July-Dec 2020). Change in weight was categorized as desirable/undesirable based on clinic standards for using the fiftieth percentile as desirable. A paired t-test was used to determine change in FEV1 since the pandemic. Changes in food security status in relation to change in weight and change in FEV1 were determined using Fisher's test and Welch's t-test, respectively. Results Participants were caregivers of children who were 9.96 ± 5.02 years old, 56% female, and 83% Caucasian. Ten % of participants (n = 3) reported household food insecurity before the pandemic, which increased to thirty % (n = 9) after the pandemic. Fifty percent of participants (n = 15) experienced an undesirable weight gain (2.71 kg ± 6.32 kg; mean ± std dev). There was no change in FEV1 during the pandemic (−0.6% ± 9.02; P = .74). Changes in weight and FEV1 were not related to change in household food security status (P = 0.287 and P = .088 respectively). Conclusions Food insecurity increased during the COVID-19 pandemic; however, it was not related to undesirable weight change or decrease in FEV1. The second part of this study will use semi-structured interviews to elucidate how families with children with cystic fibrosis coped with food insecurity during the pandemic. Funding Sources Pulmonary Division, Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus OH

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Predictors and Inter-Linkage of Household and Individual Food Insecurity in Urban Geriatric Subjects: A Community Based Study from India

Current Research in Nutrition and Food Science Journal ◽

10.12944/crnfsj.9.2.27 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 9 (2) ◽

pp. 639-652

Author(s):

Dr. Priya Keshari ◽

Dr. Hari Shankar

Keyword(s):

Logistic Regression ◽

Food Security ◽

Food Insecurity ◽

Well Being ◽

Household Food Security ◽

Household Food Insecurity ◽

Level Energy ◽

Community Based ◽

Individual Level ◽

Household Food

Food insecurity affects many dimensions of well-being. It may lead to under nutrition. Although geriatric subjects from food insecure households are more likely to have inadequate energy, household food security does not necessarily guarantee for energy adequacy at individual level. This community based cross-sectional study was conducted on 616 geriatric subjects to find out predictors of food insecurity at household and individual level and examine energy adequacy at family versus individual level. Subjects were selected by multistage sampling procedure from urban Varanasi, India. A predesigned, pretested proforma was used for collecting socioeconomic information. Food insecurity was assessed using Household Food Insecurity Access Scale; 24 hours recall method was used for energy intakes. For analysis of data SPSS version 22.0 was used. χ2 and logistic regression were used for inferential purpose. Food insecurity at household was 68.2%.The significant association of marital status, religion, type and size of family and literacy status with household food insecurity in univariate analysis got eliminated after applying logistic regression analysis; Adjusted Odds Ratios were higher for SC/ST Caste (2.13; 95% CI: 1-4.5) and upper lower plus lower socio economic status(24.13; 95% CI: 13.87-44.61). On energy intake considerations, of 53.9% subjects with household food insecurity, 80.7% had individual food insecurity whereas of 46.1% subjects with household food security 63.7% subjects had individual food insecurity. Caste and socioeconomic class predicted food insecurity at household level. Energy adequacy at family level did not ensure energy adequacy in geriatric subjects.

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Investigating the prevalence and predictors of food insecurity: a comparison of HFSSM and EU-SILC indicators

British Food Journal ◽

10.1108/bfj-05-2021-0514 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽

Author(s):

Emma Beacom ◽

Christopher McLaughlin ◽

Sinéad Furey ◽

Lynsey Elizabeth Hollywood ◽

Paul Humphreys

Keyword(s):

Food Security ◽

Food Insecurity ◽

Food Deprivation ◽

Population Sample ◽

Household Food Security ◽

The European Union ◽

Policy Action ◽

Content Type ◽

Household Food ◽

Food Security Status

PurposeData from the Northern Ireland (NI) Health Survey 2014/15 (n = 2,231) were statistically analysed to examine the prevalence of food insecurity according to both indicators. Pearson's X2 test for association and logistic regressions were used to examine associations between food security status and predictor variables.Design/methodology/approachHousehold food insecurity has been identified as a significant societal issue in both developed and developing nations, but there exists no universal indicator to approximate its prevalence. In NI, two indicators (United States Household Food Security Survey Module [HFSSM] and the European Union Statistics on Income and Living Conditions [EU-SILC] food deprivation questions) have been used. This study examines how both indicators differ in their classification of food insecurity prevalence in a population sample and also examines the relationship between various demographic and household factors and food security status.FindingsAccording to the EU-SILC food deprivation questions, 8.3% (n = 185) were indicated to be food insecure, while according to the HFSSM, 6.5% (n = 146) were indicated to be food insecure. The HFSSM and EU-SILC regression models differed in the underlying variables they identified as significant predictors of food insecurity. Significant variables common to both modules were tenure, employment status, health status, anxiety/depression and receipt of benefits.Originality/valueFindings can inform policy action with regards to targeting the key contributors and can inform policy decisions in NI and elsewhere with regards to choosing the most appropriate food insecurity indicator.

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A Food Insecurity Systematic Review: Experience from Malaysia

Nutrients ◽

10.3390/nu13030945 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (3) ◽

pp. 945

Author(s):

Norhasmah Sulaiman ◽

Heather Yeatman ◽

Joanna Russell ◽

Leh Shii Law

Keyword(s):

Risk Factors ◽

Food Insecurity ◽

Coping Strategies ◽

Low Income ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Welfare Recipient ◽

Vulnerable Groups ◽

Household Food Security ◽

Household Food Insecurity ◽

Household Food

Living free from hunger is a basic human right. However, some communities still experience household food insecurity. This systematic literature review explored different aspects of household food insecurity in Malaysia including vulnerable groups, prevalence, risk factors, coping strategies, and the consequences of food insecurity. The review followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) guidelines. Thirty-three relevant articles were selected from scientific databases such as CINAHL, Pubmed and Google Scholar, scrutiny of reference lists, and personal communication with experts in the field. The prevalence of household food insecurity in Malaysia was unexpectedly reported as high, with affected groups including Orang Asli, low-income household/welfare-recipient households, university students, and the elderly. Demographic risk factors and socioeconomic characteristics included larger household, living in poverty, and low education. Coping strategies were practices to increase the accessibility of food in their households. Consequences of household food insecurity included psychological, dietary (macro- and micronutrient intakes), nutritional status, and health impacts. In conclusion, this review confirmed that household food insecurity in Malaysia continues to exist. Nevertheless, extensive and active investigations are encouraged to obtain a more holistic and comprehensive picture pertaining to household food security in Malaysia.

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High food insecurity in Latinx families and associated COVID-19 infection in the Greater Bay Area, California

BMC Nutrition ◽

10.1186/s40795-021-00419-1 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 7 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Milagro Escobar ◽

Andrea DeCastro Mendez ◽

Maria Romero Encinas ◽

Sofia Villagomez ◽

Janet M. Wojcicki

Keyword(s):

Food Security ◽

Food Insecurity ◽

San Francisco ◽

Employment Status ◽

The United States ◽

Household Food Security ◽

Bay Area ◽

Household Food ◽

History Of ◽

The Impact

Abstract Background Food insecurity impacts nearly one-in-four Latinx households in the United States and has been exacerbated by the novel coronavirus or COVID-19 pandemic. Methods We examined the impact of COVID-19 on household and child food security in three preexisting, longitudinal, Latinx urban cohorts in the San Francisco Bay Area (N = 375 households, 1875 individuals). Households were initially recruited during pregnancy and postpartum at Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital (ZSFG) and UCSF Benioff prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. For this COVID-19 sub-study, participants responded to a 15-min telephonic interview. Participants answered 18 questions from the US Food Security Food Module (US HFSSM) and questions on types of food consumption, housing and employment status, and history of COVID-19 infection as per community or hospital-based testing. Food security and insecurity levels were compared with prior year metrics. Results We found low levels of household food security in Latinx families (by cohort: 29.2%; 34.2%; 60.0%) and child food security (56.9%, 54.1%, 78.0%) with differences between cohorts explained by self-reported levels of education and employment status. Food security levels were much lower than those reported previously in two cohorts where data had been recorded from prior years. Reported history of COVID-19 infection in households was 4.8% (95% Confidence Interval (CI); 1.5–14.3%); 7.2% (95%CI, 3.6–13.9%) and 3.5% (95%CI, 1.7–7.2%) by cohort and was associated with food insecurity in the two larger cohorts (p = 0.03; p = 0.01 respectively). Conclusions Latinx families in the Bay Area with children are experiencing a sharp rise in food insecurity levels during the COVID-19 epidemic. Food insecurity, similar to other indices of poverty, is associated with increased risk for COVID-19 infection. Comprehensive interventions are needed to address food insecurity in Latinx populations and further studies are needed to better assess independent associations between household food insecurity, poor nutritional health and risk of COVID-19 infection.

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