Low and Very Low Food Security are Associated with Differences in Emotional and Behavioral Problems among Children and Adolescents in the US

Abstract

The adverse association between food insecurity and emotional and behavioral problems (EBP) among children and adolescents has been studied, but little work has examined if more severe food insecurity is associated with higher EBP.Using a national sample of households (HH) with children and adolescents, we examined the association between EBP and food security status (FSS) (i.e., food secure (FS), low food secure (LFS), and very low food secure (VLFS)). Data were collected from a total of 22,522 children and adolescents from 2011 to 2013.The Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) and the 10‐item USDA HH Food Security Survey were used to measure EBP and FSS. Negative binomial and logistic regressions were used to test the associations between total SDQ score, high SDQ score (SDQ score 蠅 6), and FSS. All models adjusted for demographic and socioeconomic confounders.Compared to FS HH, children and adolescents in LFS or VLFS HH had higher SDQ scores (LFS, incidence rate ratio (IRR) 1.22, p<0.001; VLFS IRR 1.37, p<0.001) and had increased odds of having a high SDQ score (LFS, odds ratio (OR) 1.35, p<0.05; VLFS OR 2.07, p<0.001). Compared to LFS HH, VLFS HH had a mean IRR that was 0.12 higher (p<0.01) and a mean OR that was 0.43 higher (p<0.01).Compared to LFS HH, children and adolescent in VLFS HH have higher EBP. In addition, compared to FS HH, children and adolescents in LFS and VLFS have higher EBP. This work was supported by FRAC.