Food Insecurity Influences Weight Trajectory in Children with Obesity

Area of Science:

• Pediatric obesity research
• Social determinants of health
• Longitudinal health studies

Background:

• Social disadvantage is linked to childhood obesity risk.
• Limited understanding exists regarding social disadvantage's impact on pediatric weight trajectories.
• Food insecurity is a key aspect of social disadvantage affecting child health.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze the association between food insecurity and weight change over time in low-income children.
• To investigate how food insecurity influences the weight trajectory of children attending a weight management clinic.

Main Methods:

• Longitudinal analysis of 794 low-income children (household income <$60k/year) from 2008-2016.
• Mixed-effects growth curve modeling to assess weight trajectory (%BMIp95) based on baseline food security status.
• Examined interactions between food insecurity and time elapsed since the initial visit.

Main Results:

• 30% of patients were food-insecure at baseline, with a mean %BMIp95 of 129% (severe obesity).
• Food-insecure children showed a significantly smaller monthly increase in %BMIp95 compared to food-secure peers.
• While food-secure children showed a significant 12-month decrease in %BMIp95, food-insecure children did not exhibit a significant change.

Conclusions:

• Household food insecurity is associated with a less optimal weight trajectory in children with obesity.
• Findings highlight the complex interplay between socioeconomic factors and pediatric weight management.
• Further research is needed to understand the mechanisms driving these weight trajectory differences.