The Relationship between Food Banks and Household Food Insecurity among Low-Income Toronto Families

2012 ◽  
Vol 38 (4) ◽  
pp. 497-514 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rachel Loopstra ◽  
Valerie Tarasuk
Keyword(s):  
Food Insecurity ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Household Food Insecurity ◽  
Food Banks ◽  
Household Food ◽  
The Relationship

scholarly journals A Food Insecurity Systematic Review: Experience from Malaysia

Nutrients ◽  
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.

scholarly journals Association of Household Food Insecurity with the Mental and Physical Health of Low-Income Urban Ecuadorian Women with Children

2016 ◽  
Vol 2016 ◽  
pp. 1-14 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Margaret Weigel ◽  
Rodrigo X. Armijos ◽  
Marcia Racines ◽  
William Cevallos ◽  
Nancy P. Castro
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Food Insecurity ◽  
Physical Health ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Household Food Insecurity ◽  
Health Complaints ◽  
Physical And Mental Health ◽  
Epidemiologic Transition ◽  
Household Food ◽  
Mental And Physical Health

Chronic physical and mental health conditions account for a rising proportion of morbidity, mortality, and disability in the Americas region. Household food insecurity (HFI) has been linked to chronic disease in US and Canadian women but it is uncertain if the same is true for low- and middle-income Latin American countries in epidemiologic transition. We conducted a survey to investigate the association of HFI with the physical and mental health of 794 women with children living in low-income Quito, Ecuador, neighborhoods. Data were collected on HFI and health indicators including self-reported health (SF-1), mental health (MHI-5), blood pressure, and self-reported mental and physical health complaints. Fasting blood glucose and lipids were measured in a subsample. The multivariate analyses revealed that HFI was associated with poorer self-rated health, low MHI-5 scores, and mental health complaints including stress, depression, and ethnospecific illnesses. It was also associated with chest tightness/discomfort/pain, dental disease, and gastrointestinal illness but not other conditions. The findings suggest that improving food security in low-income households may help reduce the burden of mental distress in women with children. The hypothesized link with diabetes and hypertension may become more apparent as Ecuador moves further along in the epidemiologic transition.

scholarly journals Dependency in Activities of Daily Living Is Associated with Household Food Insecurity Among Mexican Older Adults (P04-070-19)

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Veronica Mundo Rosas ◽  
Ignacio Méndez Gómez-Humarán ◽  
María Concepción Medina Zacarías
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Activities Of Daily Living ◽  
Food Insecurity ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Daily Living ◽  
Pension Plan ◽  
Household Food Insecurity ◽  
Nutrition Survey ◽  
Retirement Pension ◽  
Household Food

Abstract Objectives To analyze the association between dependency in activities of daily living (DADL) among Mexican older adults and the presence of household food insecurity. Methods Data on 6674 Mexican adults aged ≥60 years and their households were drawn from the 2012 Mexican National Health and Nutrition Survey (ENSANUT). DADL dependency, measured under the Katz Index (1983), was determined when respondents indicated needing assistance from another person in order to perform at least one DADL. Food insecurity (FI) was measured according to the Latinoamerican and Caribbean Food Security Scale (ELCSA). We used Path Analysis to examine the structure of the association of FI with DADL and other socio-demographic variables. Results 22.6% of older adults analyzed were ADL-dependent, and 72.9% lived in households marked by a FI category. We found that DADL (P = 0.001) exerted a significant impact on moderate and severe FI in households not benefiting from a food aid program (P = 0.000) or retirement pension plan (P = 0.000). Conclusions Few studies have explored this issue. DADL are intimately linked to household FI in that they affect the productivity of working adults and their caregivers. The findings from this study support the creation of nutritional policies and programs which address the unique needs of low income elderly people who have functional limitations. Funding Sources N/A.

Household Food Insecurity and Health-related Quality of Life in an Urban Adult Population in Iran

2020 ◽  
Vol 16 (3) ◽  
pp. 381-390
Author(s):  
Ali Gholami ◽  
Leila M. Jahromi ◽  
Mehran Shams-Beyranvand ◽  
Maryam Khazaee-Pool ◽  
Shohreh Naderimagham ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Food Insecurity ◽  
Household Food Insecurity ◽  
Health Related Quality ◽  
Household Food ◽  
Related Quality ◽  
Health Related ◽  
Study Population ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Physical Components

Background: The relationship between food insecurity and mental and physical components of health-related quality of life (HRQOL) has been less addressed by healthcare professionals. Objective: We aimed to investigate the relationship between household food insecurity and mental and physical components of HRQOL in a large sample of urban people and to determine whether household food insecurity has a negative effect on mental and physical components of HRQOL. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted across twenty-two districts of Tehran (capital of Iran) during 2011. The participants were selected through multistage cluster random sampling. Two questionnaires were used to measure household food insecurity and HRQOL in the study population, while descriptive and inferential statistics were applied to test the relationships between these two parameters. Results: The mean age of the study population was 44.5 ± 15.5 years and most were female (64.8%). The results of this study indicated an independent relationship between household food insecurity and different subscales of HRQOL (P<0.001). Household food insecurity had a significant negative relationship with physical (β= -5.93; P<0.001) and mental (β= -6.54; P<0.001) summary scores of HRQOL. Likewise, average scores on all subscales of HRQOL according to household food security status were significantly different (P<0.001). Conclusion: Food insecurity was associated with mental and physical components of HRQOL among urban participants and can be considered as a part of comprehensive interventions that target to improve general health.

ACCULTURATION AND HOUSEHOLD FOOD INSECURITY AMONG LOW-INCOME LATINOS IN HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT: THE ROLE OF SOCIAL CAPITAL.

2004 ◽  
Vol 52 ◽  
pp. S403
Author(s):  
R. Dhokarh ◽  
R. Pérez-Escamilla ◽  
D. Himmelgreen ◽  
Y.-K. Peng ◽  
S. Segura-Pérez
Keyword(s):  
Social Capital ◽  
Food Insecurity ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Household Food Insecurity ◽  
Household Food

scholarly journals Food insecurity among people with severe mental disorder in a rural Ethiopian setting: a comparative, population-based study

2017 ◽  
Vol 28 (04) ◽  
pp. 397-407 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. Tirfessa ◽  
C. Lund ◽  
G. Medhin ◽  
Y. Hailemichael ◽  
A. Fekadu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Mental Health Care ◽  
Food Insecurity ◽  
Low Income ◽  
World Health ◽  
Household Food Insecurity ◽  
Household Food ◽  
Food Insecurity Access ◽  
The Impact

Aim.In low-income African countries, ensuring food security for all segments of the population is a high priority. Mental illness is associated consistently with poverty, but there is little evidence regarding the association with food insecurity. The aim of this study was to compare the levels of food insecurity in people with severe mental disorders (SMD) with the general population in a rural African setting with a high burden of food insecurity.Method.Households of 292 community-ascertained people with a specialist-confirmed diagnosis of SMD (including schizophrenia and bipolar disorder) were compared with 284 households without a person with SMD in a rural district in south Ethiopia. At the time of the study, no mental health services were available within the district. Food insecurity was measured using a validated version of the Household Food Insecurity Access Scale. Disability was measured using the World Health Organisation Disability Assessment Schedule 2.0.Result.Severe household food insecurity was reported by 32.5% of people with SMD and 15.9% of respondents from comparison households: adjusted odds ratio 2.82 (95% confidence interval 1.62 to 4.91). Higher annual income was associated independently with lower odds of severe food insecurity. When total disability scores were added into the model, the association between SMD and food insecurity became non-significant, indicating a possible mediating role of disability.Conclusion.Efforts to alleviate food insecurity need to target people with SMD as a vulnerable group. Addressing the disabling effects of SMD would also be expected to reduce food insecurity. Access to mental health care integrated into primary care is being expanded in this district as part of the Programme for Improving Mental health carE (PRIME). The impact of treatment on disability and food insecurity will be evaluated.

scholarly journals Hunger in young children of Mexican immigrant families

2007 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 390-395 ◽  
Author(s):  
Margaret Kersey ◽  
Joni Geppert ◽  
Diana B Cutts
Keyword(s):  
Young Children ◽  
Food Insecurity ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Household Food Insecurity ◽  
Latino Children ◽  
Mexican Immigrant ◽  
Household Food ◽  
Child Hunger ◽  
Programme Participation ◽  
Mexican Immigrant Families

AbstractObjectiveTo measure rates of hunger and food insecurity among young US-born Latino children with Mexican immigrant parents (Latinos) compared with a non-immigrant non-Latino population (non-Latinos) in a low-income clinic population.Design, setting and subjectsA repeated cross-sectional survey of 4278 caregivers of children < 3 years of age in the paediatric clinic of an urban county hospital for a 5-year period from 1998 to 2003. A total of 1310 respondents had a US-born child with at least one parent born in Mexico. They were compared with a reference group comprised of non-Latino US-born participants (n = 1805). Child hunger and household food insecurity were determined with the US Household Food Security Scale.ResultsYoung Latino children had much higher rates of child hunger than non-Latinos, 6.8 versus 0.5%. Latino families also had higher rates of household food insecurity than non-Latinos, 53.1 versus 15.6%. Latino children remained much more likely to be hungry (odds ratio (OR) = 13.0, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 5.9–28.7, P < 0.01) and in household food-insecure households (OR = 6.6, 95% CI = 5.2–8.3, P < 0.01) than non-Latinos after controlling for the following variables in multivariate analysis: child's age, sex, maternal education level, single-headed household status, family size, young maternal age ( < 21 years), food stamp programme participation, TANF (Temporary Assistance to Needy Families, or ‘welfare’) programme participation and WIC (Women, Infants, and Children) usage, and reason for clinic visit (sick visit versus well-child).ConclusionYoung children in Mexican immigrant families are at especially high risk for hunger and household food insecurity compared with non-immigrant, non-Latino patients in a low-income paediatric clinic.

Food Bank Usage Is a Poor Indicator of Food Insecurity: Insights from Canada

2015 ◽  
Vol 14 (3) ◽  
pp. 443-455 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rachel Loopstra ◽  
Valerie Tarasuk
Keyword(s):  
Food Insecurity ◽  
Food Access ◽  
Household Food Insecurity ◽  
Food Banks ◽  
Policy Recommendations ◽  
Food Bank ◽  
Household Food ◽  
Representative Subset ◽  
Poor Indicator ◽  
Regular Measurement

This article reflects on the insights afforded by the regular measurement and monitoring of household food insecurity in Canada juxtaposed against information on food bank usage in the population. We show that the number and characteristics of people using food banks suggest that this population is a non-representative subset of the food insecure population. We also highlight how the number of people using food banks is insensitive to the level of household food insecurity in the population. Who goes to food banks is a function of the nature of food bank operations and the severity of food insecurity. Representative data on household food insecurity should be regularly collected and utilised to make policy recommendations for interventions to address the problem of insecure food access.

scholarly journals Household Food Insecurity and Psychosocial Dysfunction in Ecuadorian Elementary Schoolchildren

2018 ◽  
Vol 2018 ◽  
pp. 1-7 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Margaret Weigel ◽  
Rodrigo X. Armijos
Keyword(s):  
Food Security ◽  
Food Insecurity ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Maternal Mental Health ◽  
Household Food Security ◽  
Household Food Insecurity ◽  
Global Public Health ◽  
School Aged Children ◽  
Psychosocial Dysfunction ◽  
Household Food

Household food insecurity (HFI) is a major global public health and pediatric concern due to its reported association with adverse child nutrition, growth, and health outcomes. Psychosocial dysfunction is a major cause of childhood disability. US and Canadian studies have linked HFI to poorer overall psychosocial dysfunction and specific dysfunction types in school-aged children, i.e., internalizing, externalizing, and attention behaviors. However, it is uncertain whether prior findings are generalizable to low- and middle-income country (LMIC) settings. We conducted a cross-sectional study to explore the association of HFI with psychosocial dysfunction in 6-12-year-old public elementary schoolchildren (n=279) residing in low-income neighborhoods in Quito, Ecuador. Maternal caregivers were interviewed to obtain data on child psychosocial dysfunction (Pediatric Symptom Checklist, PSC), food security (Household Food Security Survey Module), and maternal mental health (SF-36 Mental Composite Summary). Capillary blood samples were obtained from child participants to measure hemoglobin levels. The data were analyzed using general linear models with adjustment for covariates. The results revealed that HFI was associated with significantly higher overall average PSC scores (p=0.002) and with internalizing (p=0.001) and externalizing (p=0.03) but not attention subscale scores. However, anemia was independently associated with PSC attention subscale scores (p=0.015). This is the first study to report on the relationship between HFI and psychosocial dysfunction in school-aged children in a LMIC setting. It highlights the importance of improving policies and programs protecting vulnerable households from HFI. In addition to improving health and nutrition, such improvements could potentially reduce the burden of child psychosocial dysfunction.

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