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ARS Home » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #180173
Title: CHILDHOOD FOOD INSECURITY IS ASSOCIATED WITH CHILDHOOD OVERWEIGHT STATUS

Author
item CASEY, PATRICK - DELTA NIRI
item SIMPSON, PIPPA - DELTA NIRI
item GOSSETT, JEFFREY - DELTA NIRI
item CONNELL, CAROL - DELTA NIRI
item HARSHA, DAVID - DELTA NIRI
item CHAMPAGNE, CATHERINE - DELTA NIRI
item STUFF, JANICE - DELTA NIRI
item Bogle, Margaret

Submitted to: International Society for Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/20/2005
Publication Date: 6/20/2005
Citation: Casey, P.H., Simpson, P.M., Gossett, J.M., Connell, C., Harsha, D., Champagne, C., Stuff, J.E., Bogle, M.L. 2005. Childhood food insecurity is associated with childhood overweight status. Meeting Proceedings of International Society for Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity.4:107.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Empirical research has not documented a relationship between household food insecurity and childhood overweight. We thus assessed the association of childhood food insecurity with childhood overweight status in a national sample. The NHANES 2001-2002 and NHANES 1999-2000 data were combined. Childhood food insecurity was calculated using the 8 specified questions from the U.S. Household Food Security Survey Module. Analyses were done according to the NHANES Analytic Guidelines. Using SUDAAN Release 9.0.0, between subgroups comparisons of percentages in weight categories were done with t-tests and further investigations of the relationship between child food insecurity and overweight status were done with logistic regressions. P-values were not adjusted for multiple comparisons. When compared to food secure children, childhood food insecurity was associated with at risk for overweight (BMI ' 85%) and overweight status (BMI ' 95%) in both male (15.4% vs. 23.0%, p=.004; 29.7% vs. 40.7%, p=.002) and female (13.6% vs. 18.8%, p=.04; 27.8% vs. 36.6%, p=.02); teens (15.6% vs. 20.8%, p=.003; 30.1% vs. 38.3%, p=.02); and the most impoverished families (16.5% vs. 22.8%, p=.05; 29.8% vs. 39.3%, p=.0l). In a regression model, child food insecurity status independently predicted (p< .05) at risk for overweight status controlling for poverty, sex, race, and child age. Childhood food insecurity status is significantly associated with child overweight status independent of important demographic variables. This association is of particular importance for teens and children who live in impoverished families.