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Review
. 2020 Dec;9(4):442-450.
doi: 10.1007/s13679-020-00413-x. Epub 2020 Oct 16.

Food Insecurity and Pediatric Obesity: a Double Whammy in the Era of COVID-19

June M Tester  1   2 , Lisa G Rosas  3 , Cindy W Leung  4
Affiliations
Review

Food Insecurity and Pediatric Obesity: a Double Whammy in the Era of COVID-19

June M Tester et al. Curr Obes Rep. 2020 Dec.

Abstract

Purpose of review: This review examines the current evidence about the ways in which food insecurity relates to obesity in children and adolescents, examining diet and diet-related behaviors, and taking into consideration the role of stress.

Recent findings: While living with food insecurity impacts stress and diet-related behaviors in children and adolescents, it is not clear whether food insecurity is associated with obesity above and beyond the influence of poverty. However, strategies to mitigate food insecurity and obesity are inherently connected, and recent examples from clinical practice (e.g., screening for food insecurity among patients) and advocacy (e.g., policy considerations regarding federal food programs such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP) are discussed. Food insecurity and obesity coexist in low-income children and adolescents in the USA. The COVID-19 pandemic exerts disproportionate burden on low-income children and families, magnifying their vulnerability to both food insecurity and pediatric obesity.

Keywords: COVID; Food insecurity; Pediatric obesity; Screening.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors report no conflicts of interest with respect to the the preparation of this manuscript.

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