How does migration affect the food security and health of children and adults ?

The 2021 Expanded Child Tax Credit (ECTC) provided families with children monthly payments from July 2021 to December 2021. The association of this policy with adult health is understudied. To examine changes in adult self-reported health and household food security before and during ECTC monthly payments. This repeated cross-sectional study used multivariable regression with a difference-in-differences estimator to assess adult health and food security for 39 479 respondents to the National Health Interview Survey (January 2019 to December 2021) before vs during monthly payments. Analyses were stratified by income to focus on low-income vs middle-income and upper-income households. Eligibility for ECTC monthly payments from July 2021 to December 2021. Overall self-reported adult health and household food security as binary outcomes (excellent or very good health vs good, fair, or poor health; food secure vs food insecure). In this nationally representative cross-sectional study of 39 479 US adults (mean [SD] age, 41.0 [13.0] years; 7234 [21.7%] Hispanic, 321 [0.9%] non-Hispanic American Indian/Alaska Native, 2205 [5.7%] non-Hispanic Asian, 5113 [13.7%] non-Hispanic Black, and 23 704 [55.8%] White individuals), respondents were predominantly female (21 511 [52.4%]), employed (33 035 [86.7%]), and married (19 838 [55.7%]). Before disbursement of ECTC monthly payments, 7633 ECTC-eligible adults (60.1%) reported excellent or very good health, and 10 950 (87.8%) reported having food security. Among ECTC-ineligible adults, 10 778 (54.9%) reported excellent or very good health and 17 839 (89.1%) reported food security. Following disbursement of monthly payments, ECTC-eligible adults experienced a 3.0 percentage point (pp) greater adjusted increase (95% CI, 0.2-5.7) in the probability of reporting excellent or very good health compared with ECTC-ineligible adults. Additionally, ECTC-eligible adults experienced a 1.9 pp greater adjusted increase (95% CI, 0.1-3.7) in the probability of food security than ECTC-ineligible adults. In income-stratified analyses, the association between ECTC eligibility and overall health was concentrated among middle-income and upper-income households (3.7-pp increase in excellent or very good health; 95% CI, 0.5-6.9). Conversely, the association between ECTC eligibility and food security was concentrated among low-income adults (3.9-pp increase in food security; 95% CI, 0-7.9). The results of this cross-sectional study suggest that monthly ECTC payments were associated with improved adult overall health and food security. Cash transfer programs may be effective tools in improving adult health and household nutrition.

The effect of produce delivery on food security (FS) and produce intake/behaviors of food stamp‐eligible, rural Appalachian OH women with at least 1 child <18 years were examined using a pre/post pilot study. Intervention group [n=30, 90.0% retention rate (RR)] received $60 of home‐delivered produce for 4weeks, and control group (n=31, 93.9% RR) received $60 food/fuel gift cards. Groups (35+/‐9 years, 4+/‐2 household members, $913+/‐728 monthly income) did not differ (t‐test, P>0.05) at baseline. After 4 weeks, both household (t‐test, p=0.028) and adult (t‐test, p‐0.020) FS decreased among produce group. Child FS and produce intake/behaviors (perceived benefit of, barriers to, and control of produce access; amount of produce eaten; readiness to change produce intake) did not change (p>0.05). At completion (n=61), adult FS was associated with both greater vegetable intake (r=0.253, p=0.049) and perceived diet quality (rho=0.276, p=0.032). The short duration of the study, small sample size, and lack of nutrition education may have contributed to both the decrease in FS and poor diet. Future studies should incorporate ongoing nutrition education during a study of a longer time period.Grant Funding Source: Ohio University Research Challenge Award, Ohio University Diabetes Research Initiative

Preconception Women’s Health and Pediatrics: An Opportunity to Address Infant Mortality and Family Health

Food security (FS) and social capital (SC) were studied in Food Stamp‐eligible women at least 18 years with at least 1 child<18 years living in rural Appalachian Ohio and were randomly assigned to produce (home delivery, $60 fresh produce for 4 weeks) [n=30, 90.9% retention rate (RR)] and control ($60 food/fuel gift cards) (n=31, 93.9% RR) groups. Participants (35+/−9 years; 4+/−2 household members; monthly income, $913+/−728) completed pre‐ and post‐interviews. After 4‐weeks, SC did not change (t‐test, p=0.742); however, both household FS (t‐test, p=0.028) and adult FS (t‐test, p=0.020) decreased among the produce group. Child FS did not change (t‐test, p=0.095). For all participants (n=61), SC was not associated with household FS (p=0.138), adult FS (p=0.118), or child FS (p=0.128). The negative impact of produce delivery on FS may be due to lack of nutrition education and/or being unfamiliar with the produce, prohibiting household use. The short duration and small sample size of the study may have contributed to both FS and SC trends observed. Future studies should examine these constructs over the entire growing season to better understand the impact of home‐delivered produce on SC and FS.

BackgroundFood insecurity, vitamin D deficiency and lower respiratory tract infections are highly prevalent conditions among Inuit children. However, the relationship between these conditions has not been examined in this population.ObjectiveThe objective of this study was to examine the relationship between food insecurity and severe respiratory infections before age 2 years and health centre visits for a respiratory problem in the past year. We also explored the relationship between serum vitamin D status and respiratory outcomes in this population.DesignWe included children aged 3–5 years who participated in a cross-sectional survey of the health of preschool Inuit children in Nunavut, Canada, from 2007 to 2008 (n=388). Parental reports of severe respiratory infections in the first 2 years of life and health care visits in the past 12 months were assessed through a questionnaire. Child and adult food security were assessed separately and serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 levels were measured in a subgroup of participants (n=279). Multivariate logistic regression was performed to assess the association between food security, vitamin D and each of the 2 respiratory outcomes.ResultsChild and adult food insecurity measures were not significantly associated with adverse respiratory outcomes. Household crowding [odds ratio (OR)=1.51, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.09–2.09, p=0.01 for the child food security model] and higher birth weight (OR=1.21, 95% CI: 1.02–1.43, p=0.03) were associated with reported severe chest infections before age 2 years while increasing age was associated with decreased odds of reported health care visits for a respiratory problem (OR=0.66, 95% CI: 0.48–0.91, p=0.02). Neither vitamin D insufficiency nor deficiency was associated with these respiratory outcomes.ConclusionsUsing a large cross-sectional survey of Inuit children, we found that household crowding, but not food security or vitamin D levels, was associated with adverse respiratory outcomes. Further studies are warranted to examine the impact of decreasing household crowding on the respiratory health of these children.

We interviewed 395 subsistence farming households from Chitwan, Nepal in order to identify the impact of remittances and other explanatory variables on child, adult, and household food security. The highest category of the IV - ordered probit regression models with cluster robust standard errors indicated that the food security status of households, adults and children was explained by gender and age of household head, adoption of conservation agricultural technology, number of fruit trees, and income from agricultural and livestock sources. Additional variables affecting only children’s food security were the adoption of hybrid rice or maize varieties and the wage income or salary earned within the district, whereas an additional variable affecting only household and adult food security was the wage income earned outside the district. Households receiving international remittances were more food secure than those households that did not receive such remittances.

Cesar Victora: leader in child health and development

Association of loss of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits with food insecurity and dietary intake of adults and children

ObjectivesAssessing children's food and nutrition security in Indonesia, especially among children from parents who experienced child marriage, is crucial for policymakers. This study investigates the role of parental child marriage in children's food security and nutritional status.MethodsWe analyze data from Indonesia Family Life Survey (IFLS) wave 4 (2007) and 5 (2014), involving 1,612 households. We employ OLS and binary logit regression analysis.ResultsOur analysis reveals that parental child marriage is associated with higher probability of children being stunted and experiencing food insecurity. Additionally, parental child marriage correlates with higher BMI-for-age z-scores, which increase the risk of obesity, and lower Food Consumption Scores (FCS).RecommendationImplementing community initiatives, economic empowerment, healthcare access, and gender-sensitive and integrated policies is crucial for enhancing food security and improving nutritional status among childen in families affected by child marriage.

Development and Validation of an Abbreviated Child and Adult Food Security Scale for Use in Clinical and Research Settings in the United States

We examine the extent to which the household food security classification methods currently used by the US Department of Agriculture may bias comparisons of food security between households with and without children and between households with children of different ages. An alternative method for classifying households with children as to their food security status is described that removes the source of those biases by considering the food security of adults and children based on separate measures. Using data from the Current Population Survey Food Security Supplements from 2001 to 2011, the analysis suggests that the current methods may have overstated the prevalence of food insecurity and understated the prevalence of very low food security in households with children vis-à-vis households without children. The extent to which very low food security may have been understated increased during and following the economic downturn of 2008.

Mitigating the Impact of Coronavirus Disease-2019 on Child and Family Behavioral Health: Suggested Policy Approaches

Putting Adolescent Health at the Heart of Pediatrics

The Development, Implementation, and Evaluation of Innovative Strategies to Reduce Food Insecurity among Children in the United States

In the Aftermath of the National Children's Study.