Dataset Information

Food insecurity and food consumption by season in households with children in an Arctic city: a cross-sectional study.

ABSTRACT:

Background

High rates of food insecurity are documented among Inuit households in Canada; however, data on food insecurity prevalence and seasonality for Inuit households with children are lacking, especially in city centres. This project: (1) compared food consumption patterns for households with and without children, (2) compared the prevalence of food insecurity for households with and without children, (3) compared food consumption patterns and food insecurity prevalence between seasons, and (4) identified factors associated with food insecurity in households with children in Iqaluit, Nunavut, Canada.

Methods

Randomly selected households were surveyed in Iqaluit in September 2012 and May 2013. Household food security status was determined using an adapted United States Department of Agriculture Household Food Security Survey Module. Univariable logistic regressions were used to examine unconditional associations between food security status and demographics, socioeconomics, frequency of food consumption, and method of food preparation in households with children by season.

Results

Households with children (n = 431) and without children (n = 468) participated in the survey. Food insecurity was identified in 32.9% (95% CI: 28.5-37.4%) of households with children; this was significantly higher than in households without children (23.2%, 95% CI: 19.4-27.1%). The prevalence of household food insecurity did not significantly differ by season. Demographic and socioeconomic characteristics of the person responsible for food preparation, including low formal education attainment (OR_Sept = 4.3, 95% CI: 2.3-8.0; OR_May = 3.2, 95% CI: 1.8-5.8), unemployment (OR_Sept = 1.1, 95% CI: 1.1-1.3; OR_May = 1.3, 95% CI: 1.1-1.5), and Inuit identity (OR_Sept = 8.9, 95% CI: 3.4-23.5; OR_May = 21.8, 95% CI: 6.6-72.4), were associated with increased odds of food insecurity in households with children. Fruit and vegetable consumption (OR_Sept = 0.4, 95% CI: 0.2-0.8; OR_May = 0.5, 95% CI: 0.2-0.9), as well as eating cooked (OR_Sept = 0.5, 95% CI: 0.3-1.0; OR_May = 0.5, 95% CI: 0.3-0.9) and raw (OR_Sept = 1.7, 95% CI: 0.9-3.0; OR_May = 1.8, 95% CI: 1.0-3.1) fish were associated with decreased odds of food insecurity among households with children, while eating frozen meat and/or fish (OR_Sept = 2.6, 95% CI: 1.4-5.0; OR_May = 2.0, 95% CI: 1.1-3.7) was associated with increased odds of food insecurity.

Conclusions

Food insecurity is high among households with children in Iqaluit. Despite the partial subsistence livelihoods of many Inuit in the city, we found no seasonal differences in food security and food consumption for households with children. Interventions aiming to decrease food insecurity in these households should consider food consumption habits, and the reported demographic and socioeconomic determinants of food insecurity.

SUBMITTER: Huet C

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5472920 | biostudies-literature |

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

ACCESS DATA

Similar Datasets

Project description:BackgroundFrom 2014-2019, Latin America and the Caribbean had the fastest growth of moderate-to-severe food insecurity than any other region, rising from 22.9% to 31.7%. While the prevalence of food insecurity is higher among women than men in every continent, Latin America has the largest food insecurity gender gap. Factors contributing to this gender inequity include underrepresentation of women in formal employment, heightened burden of dependent care on women, and unequal compensation of labor for women vs. men. The objective of this study was to investigate the association between the gender of the head of the household, employment status of household members, and food insecurity in households with children in a low-income district of Lima, Peru.MethodsThis cross-sectional study was carried out in Villa El Salvador, the fifth largest district in Metropolitan Lima, Peru, where over 20% of the population lives in poverty. Data were collected on a stratified random sample (n = 329) using a household questionnaire, including a validated food security tool (HFIAS). We ran multivariate logistic regression models predicting household food insecurity, with independent variables including gender of household head, education of household head, employment of household head, household-level employment status, age, and weekly food expenses per person.ResultsIn fully adjusted models, woman-headed households had almost thrice the odds of being food insecure compared to man-headed households. Education also had a significant effect size: a household whose household head did not complete high school was 3.4 times more likely to be food insecure than if they had some post-secondary education. Woman-headed households had a significantly higher proportion of members not formally employed, compared to man-headed households, but employment status was not associated with food insecurity.ConclusionsGender of the household head was a major contributing factor to household food insecurity in Villa el Salvador. Gender dynamics affecting opportunities for employment, education, and non-remunerated work should inform national food security policies and interventions with the goal to not only lower food insecurity, but also reduce gender inequities in food insecurity and other nutritional outcomes.

Project description:ObjectiveTo determine the prevalence of (very) low food security among Dutch food bank recipients, and to identify potential demographic, lifestyle and nutrition-related factors associated with (very) low food security.Setting11 of 135 Dutch food banks were selected throughout the Netherlands.Participants251 Dutch food bank recipients participated in the study (93 men and 158 women). Inclusion criteria for participation were: (1) at least 18?years of age, (2) sufficiently fluent in Dutch to participate in oral and written interviews, (3) recipient of a Dutch food bank for at least 1?month and (4) collect own food parcel at the food bank. A single member per household was included.Primary outcomeLevel of food security.ResultsThe prevalence of food insecurity was 72.9% (N=183), of which 40.4% (N=74) reported very low food security. Of the very low food secure participants, 56.8% (N=42) reported they were ever hungry but did not eat because they could not afford enough food in the previous 3?months. Adjusted multinomial logistic regression analyses showed that households without children were less likely to experience low food security (OR 0.39 (95% CI 0.18 to 0.88)) and men (OR 0.24 (95% CI 0.11 to 0.51)) were less likely to experience very low food security, while low-educated recipients (OR 5.05 (95% CI 1.37 to 18.61)) were more likely to experience very low food security. Furthermore, recipients with high satisfaction with overall food intake (OR 0.46 (95% CI 0.27 to 0.78)), high perceived healthiness of overall food intake (OR 0.34 (95% CI 0.19 to 0.62)) or high self-efficacy of eating healthy (OR 0.62 (95% CI 0.40 to 0.96)) were less likely to experience very low food security.ConclusionsOur study showed high prevalence rates of food insecurity among Dutch food bank recipients, and identified subgroups at increased risk of food insecurity. More research is urgently needed on the underlying determinants of food insecurity and the effectiveness of food assistance by food banks.

Project description:BACKGROUND:Food insecurity is a pressing social and public health issue that varies in degree and impact on individuals and social groups, requiring immediate attention for policymakers and decision-makers. This study was conducted to identify the prevalence and associated factors of food insecurity of rural households particularly in the Shebel Berenta and Machakel districts of East Gojjam zone. METHODS:A cross-sectional study design was conducted, in the fall of March 2017 among 504 households. Households are selected using a systematic sampling technique through multistage cluster sampling technique (two stage cluster sampling). The data were collected using a structured interviewer-administered questionnaire covering a range of topics including 18 core food security modules (CFSM) question series, socioeconomic, demographic and related variables. Multivariable Partial proportional odds model (PPOM) was employed to identify the factors associated with food insecurity in rural households. RESULT:Of a total of 504 households considered in the study, 54 (10.71%) were highly food secure, 75 (14.88%) were marginally food secure, 157 (31.15%) were low food secure, and 218 (43.25%) were severely food insecure. District (Machakel) (AOR?=?3.28 95% CI: 1.73, 6.24), household head education status, illiterate (AOR?=?113.4, 95% CI:7.02,1832.02), read and write (AOR?=?169.29, 95%CI:11.64, 2461.39), and elementary completed (AOR?=?119.75,95%CI:8.43,1700.74), agro-ecological zone, Woina Dega (AOR?=?0.0021,95% CI: 0.00009,0.0514), Dega (AOR?=?0.0323, 95%CI: 0.002, 0.5209), family size (AOR?=?1.18, 95%CI: 1.01, 1.36), landholding (AOR?=?0.767, 95% CI: 0.605, 0.972), TLU (AOR?=?0.151, 95% CI: 0.0716, 0.3189), access to toilet (no) (AOR?=?7.63, 95% CI: 1.459, 39.78), practicing irrigation (yes) (AOR?=?0.121, 95% CI: 0.037, 0.38), loan (no) (AOR?=?2.83, 95% CI:1.36, 5.89), access to energy, government electric (AOR?=?0.468, 95% CI: 0.23, 0.94), solar panels (AOR?=?0.45, 95% CI: 0.25, 0.79), soil fertility, moderate (AOR?=?0.28, 95% CI: 0.12, 0.87), fertile (AOR?=?0.15, 95% CI: 0.032, 0.72) were significant associated food insecurity factors in the study area. CONCLUSION:In this study, a high prevalence of food insecurity and various associated food insecurity factors have been identified in the study area. Thus, the concerned stockholders should intervene in food insecure households via different irrigation practices and by considering household size, community-based household head education, and landholding in hectare.

Project description:Food insecurity has disproportionately impacted Hispanic/Latinx households in the United States, specifically those with young children. Although the literature provides evidence of an association between food insecurity and adverse health outcomes in young children, minimal research has addressed the social determinants and related risk factors associated with food insecurity among Hispanic/Latinx households with children under three, a highly vulnerable population. Using the Socio-Ecological Model (SEM) as a framework, this narrative review identified factors associated with food insecurity among Hispanic/Latinx households with children under three. A literature search was conducted using PubMed and four additional search engines. Inclusion criteria consisted of articles published in English from November 1996 to May 2022 that examined food insecurity among Hispanic/Latinx households with children under three. Articles were excluded if conducted in settings other than the US and/or focused on refugees and temporary migrant workers. Data were extracted (i.e., objective, setting, population, study design, measures of food insecurity, results) from the final articles (n = 27). The strength of each article's evidence was also evaluated. Results identified individual factors (i.e., intergenerational poverty, education, acculturation, language, etc.), interpersonal factors (i.e., household composition, social support, cultural customs), organizational factors (i.e., interagency collaboration, organizational rules), community factors (i.e., food environment, stigma, etc.), and public policy/societal factors (i.e., nutrition assistance programs, benefit cliffs, etc.) associated with a food security status of this population. Overall, most articles were classified as "medium" or higher quality for the strength of evidence, and more frequently focused on individual or policy factors. Findings indicate the need for more research to include a focus on public policy/society factors, as well as on multiple levels of the SEM with considerations of how individual and policy levels intersect and to create or adapt nutrition-related and culturally appropriate interventions to improve food security of Hispanic/Latinx households with young children.