Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 16, 2026
07:07
Errors as a Means of Reducing Impulsive Food Choice
Published on: June 5, 2016
Hunger Tradeoffs and Coping Strategies Among Families with Food Insecurity in Massachusetts
Cara F Ruggiero1, Man Luo1, Meghan Perkins1
1Division of General Academic Pediatrics, Department of Pediatrics, Mass General Brigham for Children, 125 Nashua Street, Boston, MA 02114, USA.
Nutrients
|July 15, 2026
Summary
Food assistance program participation is linked to increased tradeoffs and coping strategies among food-insecure households. While necessary, these programs alone are insufficient to meet all family needs, highlighting broader poverty issues.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Nutrition Science
- Socioeconomic Studies
Background:
- Food insecurity compels individuals to make difficult tradeoffs between food and other essential needs.
- Coping strategies are commonly employed to manage limited food budgets and extend food availability.
- Limited data exists on the relationship between food assistance program participation and the use of tradeoffs or coping strategies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between participation in food assistance programs and the utilization of tradeoffs and coping strategies among food-insecure households.
- To quantify the prevalence of tradeoffs and coping strategies in relation to food assistance program use.
Main Methods:
- Secondary analysis of cross-sectional state-wide survey data from 2021-2023.
- Inclusion of questions on tradeoffs, coping mechanisms, and participation in programs like SNAP, WIC, school meals, and food pantries.
- Multivariable logistic regression to determine the odds of tradeoffs and coping strategies.
Main Results:
- 85% of respondents reported tradeoffs, and 90% reported coping strategies in the past year.
- Food assistance program participation was associated with higher prevalences of both tradeoffs (89% vs. 78%) and coping strategies (92% vs. 84%).
- Participation increased the odds of making tradeoffs (OR 1.82) and using coping strategies (OR 1.85).
Conclusions:
- Food assistance program eligibility often indicates poverty beyond food insecurity.
- These programs are essential but do not fully address the multifaceted needs of families.
- Meeting income requirements for food assistance highlights the pervasive nature of poverty.
Related Concept Videos
00:48Optimal Foraging
How animals obtain and eat their food is called foraging behavior. Foraging can include searching for plants and hunting for prey and depends on the species and environment.
01:27Coping Strategies: Problem Focused
Coping strategies are methods people use to manage, tolerate, or reduce the effects of stressors. These strategies involve both behavioral and psychological actions to handle stressful situations. One common approach is problem-focused coping, which aims to change or eliminate the source of stress rather than merely addressing its consequences. This method involves taking direct action to resolve the issue causing stress.
For example, consider a student who struggles to understand their...
For example, consider a student who struggles to understand their...
02:45Self-Discrepancy Theory
One influential perspective on what motivates people's behavior is detailed in Tory Higgin's self-discrepancy theory (Higgins, 1987). He proposed that people hold disagreeing internal representations of themselves that lead to different emotional states.
01:25Primary Motives: Hunger and Thirst
Hunger and thirst are fundamental physiological drives crucial for maintaining homeostasis and ensuring the survival of both humans and animals. These drives are regulated through complex interactions between the brain, hormones, and sensory receptors.
Hunger arises when the brain detects changes in the body's nutrient levels, including glucose, lipids, amino acids, and hormones such as ghrelin and leptin. The hypothalamus plays a central role in hunger regulation. The lateral hypothalamus acts...
Hunger arises when the brain detects changes in the body's nutrient levels, including glucose, lipids, amino acids, and hormones such as ghrelin and leptin. The hypothalamus plays a central role in hunger regulation. The lateral hypothalamus acts...
01:30Regulation of Food Intake
Short-term regulation of food intake primarily involves neural signals from the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, blood nutrient levels, and GI tract hormones. Communication between the gut and brain via vagal nerve fibers plays a significant role in evaluating the contents of the gut. Clinical studies have shown that protein ingestion produces a more prolonged response in these nerve fibers compared to an equivalent amount of glucose. Additionally, the activation of stretch receptors caused by GI...
01:24Metabolic States of the Body: Fasting and Starvation
During the initial hours of fasting, the body uses up its glycogen stores as an energy source. Once these glycogen reserves are depleted, the body begins breaking down stored triglycerides and structural proteins. During this stage, glycerol becomes a key substrate for gluconeogenesis, while free fatty acids undergo beta-oxidation to provide energy for tissues, such as skeletal muscle. In the fasting state, the body spares protein breakdown as much as possible to conserve muscle and structural...