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Association of Vision Impairment With Food Insecurity in U.S. Children

Tushar Talaparthy1, Yacoub Zumlot1, Ayman Al-Zubi1

  • 1From the Tilman J. Fertitta Family College of Medicine (TT, YZ, AAL), Houston, Texas, USA.

American Journal of Ophthalmology
|November 19, 2025
PubMed

Insights

Children with vision impairment (VI) face a significantly higher risk of household food insecurity (FI). This study highlights the need for integrated support and screening for families with children experiencing VI.

Area of Science:

  • Public Health
  • Pediatrics
  • Ophthalmology

Background:

  • Vision impairment (VI) in children can impact family well-being.
  • Food insecurity (FI) is a critical public health concern affecting children's development.
  • Understanding the link between child VI and household FI is essential for targeted interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the association between caregiver-reported VI in children and household food insecurity (FI) in a U.S. national sample.
  • To determine if children with VI are more likely to experience increased severity of household FI.
  • To provide evidence for integrated care strategies for affected families.

Main Methods:

  • Cross-sectional study using data from the National Survey of Children's Health (2021-2023).
  • Analysis included 153,285 children (0-17 years), representing over 209 million U.S. children.
  • Survey-weighted multivariable logistic and ordinal regression models adjusted for sociodemographic factors.

Main Results:

  • Households with a child with VI had 71% higher odds of food insecurity (aOR, 1.71).
  • These households also had 77% higher odds of experiencing more severe food insecurity (proportional aOR, 1.77).
  • Associations remained significant after adjusting for income, education, and other socioeconomic factors.

Conclusions:

  • Childhood VI is significantly associated with increased likelihood and severity of household FI.
  • Families with children with VI represent a high-risk population for food insecurity.
  • Routine FI screening in pediatric and ophthalmology settings is recommended, alongside integrated social and medical support policies.
Abstract

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