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Published on: November 27, 2019
Food insecurity is not associated with lower energy intakes
Claire A Zizza1, Patricia A Duffy, Shirley A Gerrior
1Department of Nutrition and Food Science, Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama, USA. Claire_Zizza@auburn.edu
Obesity (Silver Spring, Md.)
|June 7, 2008
Summary
Food insecurity impacts eating behaviors, not total calorie intake. Individuals experiencing food insecurity consumed fewer meals but increased snacking, altering dietary patterns significantly.
Area of Science:
- Nutrition Science
- Public Health
Background:
- Food insecurity is a significant public health concern in the United States.
- Understanding the dietary patterns associated with food insecurity is crucial for developing targeted interventions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between food insecurity and daily energy intake in American adults.
- To analyze how food insecurity affects meal and snack consumption patterns, including energy contribution and density.
Main Methods:
- Utilized data from the 1999-2002 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES).
- Employed the Food Security Survey Module (FSSM) and 24-hour dietary recalls.
- Compared energy intakes, meal/snack frequency, energy contribution, and energy density across food security status groups.
Main Results:
- No significant differences in total daily energy intake were observed between food secure and food insecure groups.
- Food insecure women (with and without hunger) consumed fewer meals but had a higher energy contribution from snacks.
- Food insecure men consumed fewer meals but snacked more frequently, with snacks having lower energy density.
Conclusions:
- Food insecurity significantly alters meal and snack consumption behaviors, even without changes in total energy intake.
- Focusing solely on total energy intake overlooks critical dietary adjustments in food-insecure populations.
- Dietary quality and eating patterns are important considerations when addressing food insecurity.
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