Food Insecurity Associated with Maternal Psychological Distress, but not Child Overweight

Abstract

The study objective is to assess potential relationships between food insecurity, maternal psychological distress, child feeding strategies, and child overweight. Data come from a case‐control study (n=552) of low‐income, primarily Latina recipients of a Los Angeles based WIC Program and their pre‐school age children. Statistical methods include bivariate chi‐square analyses and logistic regression. Food insecurity was significantly associated with maternal psychological distress (p<0.001), but unlike some findings from the research literature, neither food insecurity nor maternal psychological distress were significantly associated with child overweight. Ten child feeding strategies were examined; three were significantly associated at p<0.05 with child overweight (child takes food from refrigerator between meals, mother restricts child from play/television until s/he eats, and mother offers alternative foods) and one with maternal psychological distress (mother scolds child for not eating well). Findings suggest social policy should address food security and mental health issues in this population. Potential protective factors insulating children from overweight consequences of food insecurity and maternal psychological distress need exploration.