Prevalence and Correlates of Food Insecurity among Students Attending a Small, Rural Canadian University

2018 ◽  
Vol 79 (3) ◽  
pp. 125-128 ◽  
Author(s):  
Erica Reynolds ◽  
Christine Johnson ◽  
Jennifer A. Jamieson ◽  
Hannah Mawhinney
Keyword(s):  
Food Security ◽  
University Students ◽  
Food Insecurity ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Household Food Security ◽  
Potential Health ◽  
Web Based ◽  
Household Food ◽  
Food Security Status ◽  
Academic Implications

Purpose: University students may be at risk for food insecurity (FI) due to low income coupled with rising tuition, housing, and food costs. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of FI and potential correlates among students at a small, rural Canadian university. Methods: Health Canada’s 10-item household food security survey module (HFSSM) was adapted to assess food security status within the postsecondary student population. An additional 11 items measured food access and demographics. The validated, web-based survey was distributed by email and completed by 218 students (15.6% response rate). Participants were classified as food secure, moderately food insecure, or severely food insecure using the HFSSM Adult scale. Results: An overall FI rate of 37.2% was observed. This included 25.7% moderately food insecure and 11.5% severely food insecure. Students in higher years of study and who lived off campus had higher rates of FI. Conclusions: FI appears to be a significant concern for university students and has potential health and academic implications. Further research is needed to clarify the determinants and extent of FI for postsecondary students and to develop strategies to mitigate the prevalence and effects of food insecurity in these young adults.

scholarly journals Measuring household food security: the global experience

2008 ◽  
Vol 21 (suppl) ◽  
pp. 27s-37s ◽  
Author(s):  
Hugo Melgar-Quinonez ◽  
Michelle Hackett
Keyword(s):  
Food Security ◽  
Food Insecurity ◽  
The United States ◽  
Household Food Security ◽  
United States Department ◽  
Department Of Agriculture ◽  
Governmental Agencies ◽  
Household Food ◽  
Food Security Status ◽  
New Research

Measuring household food insecurity represents a challenge due to the complexity and wide array of factors associated with this phenomenon. For over one decade, researchers and agencies throughout the world have been using and assessing the validity of variations of the United States Department of Agriculture Household Food Security Supplemental Module. Thanks to numerous studies of diverse design, size, and purpose, the Household Food Security Supplemental Module has shown its suitability to directly evaluate the perceptions of individuals on their food security status. In addition, challenges and limitations are becoming clearer and new research questions are emerging as the process advances. The purpose of this article is to describe the development, validation procedures, and use of the Household Food Security Supplemental Module in very diverse settings. The most common Household Food Security Supplemental Module related studies have been conducted using criterion validity, Rasch modeling and Cronbach-Alpha Coefficient. It is critical that researchers, policy makers, governmental and non-governmental agencies intensify their efforts to further develop tools that provide valid and reliable measures of food security in diverse population groups. Additional work is needed to synthesize a universally applicable tool able to capture the global human phenomenon of food insecurity.

scholarly journals Soup kitchen users' social representations of healthy eating associated with their household food security status

2016 ◽  
Vol 29 (2) ◽  
pp. 229-240
Author(s):  
Isabel Cristina BENTO ◽  
Fernanda Martins SOBRINHO ◽  
Mery Natali Silva ABREU ◽  
Maria Flávia GAZZINELLI ◽  
Simone Cardoso Lisboa PEREIRA
Keyword(s):  
Food Security ◽  
Healthy Eating ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Univariate Analysis ◽  
Social Representation ◽  
Household Food Security ◽  
Household Food ◽  
Food Security Status ◽  
Food And Nutrition ◽  
Belo Horizonte

Objective: To verify whether what users of soup kitchens in Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil, think about a healthy diet and the challenges they face to eat healthy are associated with their household food security status. Methods: This cross-sectional study included 1,656 users of soup kitchens in Belo Horizonte. Socioeconomic and household food security data, and healthy-eating discourses were collected by a semi-structured questionnaire. The data were submitted to descriptive analyses for constructing frequency distribution tables, and to univariate analysis. Discourse analysis was based on the social representation theory. Results: To cut, reduce, avoid, not eat, eat less, and decrease carbohydrates, salt, meats, various beverages, and other foods are the most frequent changes (71.4%) that food-secure users have made or intend to make. Food-insecure users intended to eat more fruits, non-starchy vegetables, and other foods (34.4%). The main obstacles food-secure and food-insecure users face to adopt a healthier diet are lack of time (82.9%) and low income (53.5%), respectively (p<0.001). Conclusion: What users of soup kitchens in Belo Horizonte think about food and the obstacles they face to adopt a healthier diet are related to their household food security status. The results provide valuable data for effective proposals of food and nutrition education, which should act on the producers of subjectivity in this group and consider this group's food and nutrition security status.

scholarly journals Household food security status and associated factors among high-school students in Esfahan, Iran

2010 ◽  
Vol 13 (10) ◽  
pp. 1609-1613 ◽  
Author(s):  
Assieh Mohammadzadeh ◽  
Ahmadreza Dorosty ◽  
Mohammadreza Eshraghian
Keyword(s):  
High School ◽  
High School Students ◽  
Food Security ◽  
Food Insecurity ◽  
High Energy ◽  
Household Food Security ◽  
School Students ◽  
Household Food ◽  
Food Security Status ◽  
Food Insecure Households

AbstractObjectiveThe present study was designed to determine household food security status and factors associated with food insecurity among high-school students in Esfahan, Iran.DesignCross-sectional surveys.SettingThe present study was conducted in autumn 2008 in Esfahan, Iran. The samples were selected using systematic cluster sampling. Socio-economic questionnaires, food security questionnaires and FFQ were filled out during face-to-face interviews. In addition, data on participants’ weights and heights were collected.SubjectsA total of 580 students (261 boys and 319 girls) aged 14–17 years from forty high schools in Esfahan, Iran, were selected.ResultsThe prevalence of household food insecurity according to the US Department of Agriculture food security questionnaire was 36·6 % (95 % CI 0·33, 0·40). Food insecurity was positively associated with number of members in the household (P < 0·05) and negatively associated with parental education level and job status and household economic status (P < 0·05). Moreover, students living in food-insecure households more frequently consumed bread, macaroni, potato and egg (P < 0·05), while they less frequently consumed rice, red meat, sausage and hamburger, poultry, fish, green vegetables, root and bulb (coloured) vegetables, melons, apples and oranges, milk and yoghurt (P < 0·05).ConclusionsFood insecurity was prevalent among households in Esfahan, Iran, and food security status was associated with socio-economic factors. Students who belonged to food-secure households more frequently consumed healthy foods (except sausage and hamburger), whereas those living in food-insecure households more frequently consumed cheap foods containing high energy per kilogram. The present study suggests that intervention programmes be designed and carried out.

Household Food Security Status Is Associated with Anemia Risk at Age 18 Months among Low-Income Infants in Massachusetts

2016 ◽  
Vol 116 (11) ◽  
pp. 1760-1766 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elizabeth Metallinos-Katsaras ◽  
Rachel Colchamiro ◽  
Sari Edelstein ◽  
Elizabeth Siu
Keyword(s):  
Food Security ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Household Food Security ◽  
Household Food ◽  
Food Security Status

scholarly journals Assessing the relevance of neighbourhood characteristics to the household food security of low-income Toronto families

2010 ◽  
Vol 13 (7) ◽  
pp. 1139-1148 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sharon I Kirkpatrick ◽  
Valerie Tarasuk
Keyword(s):  
Social Capital ◽  
Food Security ◽  
Food Insecurity ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Food Access ◽  
Household Food Security ◽  
Cross Sectional Survey ◽  
Household Food ◽  
Neighbourhood Social Capital ◽  
Neighbourhood Characteristics

AbstractObjectiveAlthough the sociodemographic characteristics of food-insecure households have been well documented, there has been little examination of neighbourhood characteristics in relation to this problem. In the present study we examined the association between household food security and neighbourhood features including geographic food access and perceived neighbourhood social capital.DesignCross-sectional survey and mapping of discount supermarkets and community food programmes.SettingTwelve high-poverty neighbourhoods in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.SubjectsRespondents from 484 low-income families who had children and who lived in rental accommodations.ResultsFood insecurity was pervasive, affecting two-thirds of families with about a quarter categorized as severely food insecure, indicative of food deprivation. Food insecurity was associated with household factors including income and income source. However, food security did not appear to be mitigated by proximity to food retail or community food programmes, and high rates of food insecurity were observed in neighbourhoods with good geographic food access. While low perceived neighbourhood social capital was associated with higher odds of food insecurity, this effect did not persist once we accounted for household sociodemographic factors.ConclusionsOur findings raise questions about the extent to which neighbourhood-level interventions to improve factors such as food access or social cohesion can mitigate problems of food insecurity that are rooted in resource constraints. In contrast, the results reinforce the importance of household-level characteristics and highlight the need for interventions to address the financial constraints that underlie problems of food insecurity.

scholarly journals The Relative Reinforcing Value of Cookies Is Higher Among Head Start Preschoolers With Obesity

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sally G. Eagleton ◽  
Jennifer L. Temple ◽  
Kathleen L. Keller ◽  
Michele E. Marini ◽  
Jennifer S. Savage
Keyword(s):  
Food Security ◽  
Individual Differences ◽  
Head Start ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Reward Sensitivity ◽  
Household Food Security ◽  
Child Characteristics ◽  
Household Food ◽  
Food Security Status ◽  
Reinforcing Value

The relative reinforcing value (RRV) of food measures how hard someone will work for a high-energy-dense (HED) food when an alternative reward is concurrently available. Higher RRV for HED food has been linked to obesity, yet this association has not been examined in low-income preschool-age children. Further, the development of individual differences in the RRV of food in early childhood is poorly understood. This cross-sectional study tested the hypothesis that the RRV of HED (cookies) to low-energy-dense (LED; fruit) food would be greater in children with obesity compared to children without obesity in a sample of 130 low-income 3- to 5-year-olds enrolled in Head Start classrooms in Central Pennsylvania. In addition, we examined individual differences in the RRV of food by child characteristics (i.e., age, sex, and reward sensitivity) and food security status. The RRV of food was measured on concurrent progressive-ratio schedules of reinforcement. RRV outcomes included the last schedule reached (breakpoint) for cookies (cookie Pmax) and fruit (fruit Pmax), the breakpoint for cookies in proportion to the total breakpoint for cookies and fruit combined (RRV cookie), and response rates (responses per minute). Parents completed the 18-item food security module to assess household food security status and the Behavioral Activation System scale to assess reward sensitivity. Pearson’s correlations and mixed models assessed associations between continuous and discrete child characteristics with RRV outcomes, respectively. Two-way mixed effects interaction models examined age and sex as moderators of the association between RRV and Body Mass Index z-scores (BMIZ). Statistical significance was defined as p &lt; 0.05. Children with obesity (17%) had a greater cookie Pmax [F (1, 121) = 4.95, p = 0.03], higher RRV cookie [F (1, 121) = 4.28, p = 0.04], and responded at a faster rate for cookies [F (1, 121) = 17.27, p &lt; 0.001] compared to children without obesity. Children with higher cookie response rates had higher BMIZ (r = 0.26, p &lt; 0.01); and RRV cookie was positively associated with BMIZ for older children (5-year-olds: t = 2.40, p = 0.02) and boys (t = 2.55, p = 0.01), but not younger children or girls. The RRV of food did not differ by household food security status. Low-income children with obesity showed greater motivation to work for cookies than fruit compared to their peers without obesity. The RRV of HED food may be an important contributor to increased weight status in boys and future research is needed to better understand developmental trajectories of the RRV of food across childhood.

scholarly journals Food Insecurity and Periodontal Disease in Low-Income Women (P04-043-19)

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeanne Freeland-Graves ◽  
Mahsa Babaei ◽  
Prageet Sachdev
Keyword(s):  
Food Security ◽  
Periodontal Disease ◽  
Food Insecurity ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Household Food Security ◽  
P Value ◽  
Clinical Attachment Loss ◽  
Bleeding On Probing ◽  
Attachment Loss ◽  
Household Food

Abstract Objectives To examine the relationships between food security and prevalence and severity of periodontal disease in low-income women. Methods This cross-sectional study involved 220 women, 18–50 years of age, who were recruited from dental clinics and low-income households in Central Texas. On one visit, women completed a Demographic Survey and the United States Household Food Security Survey Module. Two trained dentists conducted dental screenings for evaluation of periodontal status, using two indices: Clinical Attachment Loss (CAL) and Bleeding on Probing (BOP) to discern severity of periodontitis. Multiple regression analysis was used to assess the effect of food insecurity on the status of periodontal disease, after adjustment for socioeconomic status. Results The mean age of participants was 38.13 ± 9.43 years. The majority were Hispanic, had completed a high school education, and had a mean income of <$25,000/year. Over half of the sample (54.55%) was food insecure, followed by marginally food secure (24.09%) and highly food secure (21.36%), based on cut off values of the Household Food Security Survey Module. Mean values for Clinical Attachment Loss and Bleeding on Probing were 1.742 ± 0.75 and 1.632 ± 2.23 respectively. These results indicated that the women exhibited periodontal disease, with stages of mild (56.83%), moderate (26.36%) and severe periodontitis (16.81%). Food insecurity was directly related to the severity of periodontal disease, as illustrated by the Clinical Attachment Loss (β-coefficient = 0.170, p value = 0.01) and Bleeding on Probing (β coefficient = 0.380, p value = 0.00), after adjustment for socioeconomic status. Conclusions Food insecure individuals appear to be at a great risk for periodontal disease. Whether this relationship is due to lack of food resources, improper dental equipment or hygiene, or nutrition knowledge will be explored as the study progresses. This health risk for periodontal disease should be incorporated into public health policies concerning food insecurity. Funding Sources Bess Heflin Centennial Professorship.

scholarly journals Exploring the Relationship Between Attendance at USDA Summer Food Service Program Sites and Baseline Household Food Security Status: Results from the Project SWEAT Study

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_2) ◽  
pp. 204-204
Author(s):  
Laura Hopkins ◽  
Cara Pannell ◽  
Carolyn Gunther
Keyword(s):  
Food Security ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Food Service ◽  
Text Messages ◽  
Household Food Security ◽  
Service Program ◽  
Household Food ◽  
Food Security Status ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
The Relationship

Abstract Objectives Explore the relationship between attendance at USDA Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) sites and baseline household food security status. Methods Two elementary schools in low-income urban neighborhoods of Columbus, OH were recruited. Families with children at these schools in grades pre-kindergarten through fifth were invited to participate. Caregivers completed a demographic survey at the end of school year 1 (baseline [t0]). Household food security was assessed at t0 using the USDA 6-item Short Form Food Security Module and based on responses participants were categorized as living in high marginal food security (HMFS), low food security (LFS), or very low food security (VLFS) households. Child attendance at USDA SFSP sites was collected via weekly text messages to caregivers using the online TextIt© platform. ANOVA was conducted to determine differences in attendance level by household food security status. Results 113 children representing 78 families enrolled. Mean age was 7.10 ± 0.21 yr, 79.65% were African American, 72.73% were low-income, and mean annual income was $28,222. Approximately 27% of families (n = 21) reported living in LFS (n = 10, 14.82%) or VLFS (n = 11, 12.10%) households. Overall mean attendance at summer programming was 10.40 ± 1.43 days (out of 50 possible days) and attendance by household food security status was 10.51 ± 1.61 (HMFS), 19.00 ± 6.15 (LFS), and 5.70 ± 2.85 (VLFS) days with a significant difference (P = 0.04) between LFS and VLFS households. Conclusions Children in VLFS (vs HMFS and LFS) households, who are at increased risk for hunger during the summertime window of risk, are attending sites offering the USDA SFSP least frequently. Future research and programmatic efforts should be targeted at children from the most vulnerable households to ensure food security during the summertime window of risk. Funding Sources USDA NC-NECE.

scholarly journals Infants from Food Insecure Households Have Altered Gut Microbiota (OR01-03-19)

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sara Benjamin-Neelon ◽  
Moira Differding ◽  
Noel Mueller
Keyword(s):  
Food Security ◽  
Gut Microbiota ◽  
Food Insecurity ◽  
Household Food Security ◽  
Sequence Variants ◽  
Microbiota Composition ◽  
Household Food ◽  
Food Security Status ◽  
Food Insecure Households ◽  
Gut Microbiota Composition

Abstract Objectives Infancy represents a critical period for growth and development. Food insecurity (defined as the limited availability of nutritionally adequate and safe foods) in early life may have both immediate and long-term health implications. Some limited evidence suggests that food insecurity in adults may influence the gut microbiota composition, perhaps through a lack of dietary diversity. A number of studies also link malnutrition with alterations in the gut microbiota in children. However, associations between food insecurity and the gut microbiota have yet to be explored in children and especially in infants, who may have had little exposure to foods other than human milk and formula. Methods Participants were from the Nurture study, a birth cohort of predominately black women and their infants residing in the southeastern United States. We collected stool samples from 68 infants 3 months after birth. Our exposure was household food security status assessed when infants were between 2 and 3 months. We used the US Household Food Security Survey Module: Six-Item Short Form. We grouped scores of 0–1 (full or marginal food security) as food secure and 2–6 (low or very low food security) as food insecure, consistent with prior studies. For the 3-month outcome, we used an Illumina MiSeq to conduct paired-end sequencing of the 16S rRNA V4 region. We used beta-binomial regression to determine differential abundance of microbiota according to food security status. Two-sided FDR corrected P-values < 0.05 were considered significant. We adjusted for delivery method (C-section versus vaginal), breastfeeding (never versus any), and timing of introduction to solid foods (at or before 3 months versus after 3 months of age). Results Demographic characteristics of mothers and infants from food insecure households (n = 20) resembled those from food secure households (n = 45). The relative abundance of 16 microbial amplicon sequence variants were lower in food insecure infants, and 3 microbial amplicon sequence variants were higher in food secure infants (Figure). Conclusions Findings from our birth cohort suggest that infants from food insecure households had altered gut microbiota composition at 3 months of age. Future research is warranted to provide mechanistic insight into these potentially novel associations. Funding Sources NIDDK, National Institutes of Health. Supporting Tables, Images and/or Graphs

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