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Difficulty buying food, BMI, and eating habits in young children
Anne Fuller1, Jonathon L Maguire, Sarah Carsley
1Division of Academic General Pediatrics, the Children's Hospital at Montefiore, Bronx, NY. anfuller@montefiore.org.
Insights
Parental difficulty buying food is linked to poorer eating habits in young children, including less fruit and vegetable intake and more sugary drinks and fast food. However, it was not associated with child body mass index (BMI) z-score.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Nutrition
- Public Health
- Childhood Obesity Research
Background:
- Food insecurity, defined as difficulty buying food due to cost, is a growing concern in child health.
- Understanding the impact of food insecurity on children's health outcomes is crucial for developing targeted interventions.
- Previous research has explored links between socioeconomic factors and child health, but specific associations with eating habits and BMI require further investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between parental reports of difficulty buying food and child body mass index (BMI) z-score.
- To examine the relationship between difficulty buying food and children's eating habits, including fruit and vegetable consumption, intake of sugary beverages, and fast food frequency.
- To identify potential links between food access challenges and nutritional status in young children.
Main Methods:
- A cross-sectional study was conducted with children aged 1-5 years and their caregivers in Toronto, Ontario.
- Regression models were used to analyze the association between parent-reported difficulty buying food and child BMI z-score and dietary intake.
- Data were adjusted for various confounders, including child's age and sex, maternal BMI, education, ethnicity, and neighborhood income.
Main Results:
- No significant association was found between difficulty buying food and child BMI z-score (p = 0.86).
- Children from households with difficulty buying food showed increased odds of consuming fewer than three servings of fruits and vegetables daily (OR: 1.31, 95% CI: 1.03-1.69).
- Increased odds were also observed for daily intake of more than one serving of fruit juice/sweetened beverages (OR: 1.60, 95% CI: 1.28-2.00) and weekly fast food consumption among 1-2 year olds (OR: 2.91, 95% CI: 1.67-5.08).
Conclusions:
- Parental difficulty buying food is associated with less optimal eating habits in young children.
- Despite the lack of association with BMI z-score, the findings highlight a significant impact on dietary quality.
- These results underscore the importance of addressing food insecurity to improve children's nutritional intake and long-term health outcomes.
Objectives:
To determine whether parent report of difficulty buying food was associated with child body mass index (BMI) z-score or with eating habits in young children.
Methods:
This was a cross-sectional study in primary care offices in Toronto, Ontario. Subjects were children aged 1-5 years and their caregivers, recruited through the TARGet Kids! Research Network from July 2008 to August 2011. Regression models were developed to test the association between parent report of difficulty buying food because of cost and the following outcomes: child BMI z-score, parent's report of child's intake of fruit and vegetables, fruit juice and sweetened beverages, and fast food. Confounders included child's age, sex, birth weight, maternal BMI, education, ethnicity, immigration status, and neighbourhood income.
Results:
The study sample consisted of 3333 children. Data on difficulty buying food were available for 3099 children, and 431 of these (13.9%) were from households reporting difficulty buying food. There was no association with child BMI z-score (p = 0.86). Children from households reporting difficulty buying food (compared with never having difficulty buying food) had increased odds of consuming three or fewer servings of fruits and vegetables per day (odds ratio [OR]: 1.31, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.03-1.69), more than one serving of fruit juice/sweetened beverage per day (OR: 1.60, 95% CI: 1.28-2.00), and, among children 1-2 years old, one or more servings of fast food per week (OR: 2.91, 95% CI: 1.67-5.08).
Conclusion:
Parental report of difficulty buying food is associated with less optimal eating habits in children but not with BMI z-score.
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