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. 2021 Oct;24(15):4803-4811.
doi: 10.1017/S1368980021002378. Epub 2021 May 28.

Anthropometric characteristics of children living in food-insecure households in the USA

Francis A Tayie  1 , Lea Anne Lambert  1 , Richmond Aryeetey  2 , Beibei Xu  3 , Gabrielle Brewer  4
Affiliations

Anthropometric characteristics of children living in food-insecure households in the USA

Francis A Tayie et al. Public Health Nutr. 2021 Oct.

Abstract

Objective: This study provides information on food insecurity and child malnutrition in a technologically advanced nation.

Design: Population-based study using multistage probability cluster sampling design to collect survey data. Multivariable regression models were used to determine associations between food security status and various malnutrition indices.

Setting: We used a national sample from the US National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2011-2014.

Participants: The anthropometric and demographic data sets of 4121 children <7 years old were analysed for this study.

Results: Food-insecure infants younger than 6 months had shorter upper arm length (-0·4 cm, P = 0·012) and smaller mid-upper arm circumference (-0·5 cm, P = 0·004); likewise those aged 6 months-1 year had shorter upper arm length (-0·4 cm, P = 0·008), body length (-1·7 cm, P = 0·007) and lower body weight (-0·5 kg, P = 0·008). Food-insecure children younger than 2 years were more likely to be underweight (OR: 4·34; 95 % CI 1·99, 9·46) compared with their food-secure counterparts. Contrariwise, food-insecure children older than 5 years were more likely to be obese (OR: 3·12; 95 % CI 1·23, 7·96).

Conclusions: Food insecurity associates with child growth deficits in the USA. Food-insecure infants and young children are generally smaller and shorter, whereas older children are heavier than their food-secure counterparts, implying a double burden of undernutrition-overnutrition associated with child food insecurity. Child food and nutrition programmes to improve food insecurity should focus on infants and children in the transition ages.

Keywords: Child growth; Child undernutrition; Childhood obesity; Food insecurity; Wasting.

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Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Percentage of participants that fall in various categories of malnutrition by food security category. formula image, Food secure; formula image, Marginal; formula image, Food insecure
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Trends in mid-upper arm circumference of children aged 2 months–7 years categorised by food security status. formula image, Food secure; formula image, Marginal; formula image, Food insecure
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Trends in upper arm length of children aged 2 months–7 years categorised by food security status†. formula image, Food secure; formula image, Marginal; formula image, Food insecure
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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