Work

Food insecurity is associated with increased weight loss attempts in children and adolescents

Year: 2020

Type: article

Abstract: Household food insecurity (HFI) has been associated with adverse childhood outcomes and shares many common risk factors with obesity. Half of adolescents with overweight or obesity are actively attempting to lose weight. We aim to evaluate whether HFI is associated with weight loss attempts and unhealthy weight loss control practices in children. We examined cross-sectional data of children ages 8 to 15 years old from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Attempted weight loss was more common among children with very low food security (OR 1.50, 95% CI 1.09, 2.07). Children with a healthy weight with very low food security had increased odds of attempting weight loss (OR 1.51, 95% CI 1.00, 2.26) but there was no association in children with overweight or obesity. Very low food security was also associated with unhealthy weight control practices (OR: 1.42, 95% CI: 1.04, 1.93). Physicians should counsel all children and adolescents on healthy and unhealthy weight loss behaviours, regardless of weight or food security status.

Source: Pediatric Obesity

DOI: 10.1111/ijpo.12691

Authors: Isabella V. Masler, Deepak Palakshappa, Asheley C. Skinner, Joseph A. Skelton, Callie L. Brown

Institutions: Wake Forest University Health Sciences, Wake Forest University, Duke University, Duke Clinical Research Institute

Language: English

Topic: Food Security and Health in Diverse Populations

Subfield: General Health Professions

Field: Health Professions

Domain: Health Sciences

SDGs: Good health and well-being, Zero hunger

Open Access status: green

Funders: National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development