Work

Daily food insecurity and parent and child well-being: Variation in associations by food insecurity type

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: Food insecurity undermines children’s social-emotional development, but less is known about how different aspects of food insecurity differentially impact outcomes. Food insecurity can vary in severity and in whether parents or children within a household directly experience it. Using repeated daily observations of food insecurity and parent and child well-being, this study examines how different types of food insecurity shape outcomes. Drawn from a predominantly rural, low-income sample of parents (N = 272, 90% mothers, mean age = 35, 61.4% Latinx, 8.6% Black, 30.0% White/other) and their school-aged children (ages 4–11, 50% female), results indicate that negative effects on parent and child well-being increase alongside food insecurity severity, and that child functioning is impaired even when their food consumption is not affected.

Source: Applied Developmental Science

DOI: 10.1080/10888691.2025.2557347

Authors: Caitlin T. Hines, Samantha Steimle, Rebecca M. Ryan

Institutions: Pennsylvania State University, Georgetown University

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, No poverty, Reduced inequalities

Open Access status: hybrid

Funder: Georgetown University