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

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.

Fig. 1

Percentage of participants that fall in various categories of malnutrition by food security category. , Food secure; , Marginal; , Food insecure

Fig. 2

Trends in mid-upper arm circumference of children aged 2 months–7 years categorised by food security status. , Food secure; , Marginal; , Food insecure

Fig. 3

Trends in upper arm length of children aged 2 months–7 years categorised by food security status†. , Food secure; , Marginal; , Food insecure