The role of neighborhoods in household food insufficiency: Considering interactions between physical disorder, low social capital, violence, and perceptions of danger

Abstract

RationaleFood insecurity is a significant public health concern, with implications for community and individual health and well-being. Although a growing body of literature points to the role of neighborhoods in household food insecurity, studies using nationally representative samples to explore interactions between neighborhood risks – including violence and danger – are lacking. ObjectiveThe present study examines whether interactions between physical disorder, low social capital, and violence/danger in the neighborhood have significant implications for the risk of household food insufficiency using a large, nationally representative sample of U.S. children and their families. MethodData are from the 2016 National Survey of Children's Health, a survey of a cross-sectional weighted probability sample of U.S. children from 0 to 17 years of age. Multinomial logistic regression techniques were used to analyze the data. ResultsNeighborhood risk factors interacted to predict household food insufficiency, with the confluence of low social capital and violence/danger yielding the strongest effects. ConclusionsOur findings suggest that food hardship should be addressed within the context of neighborhood revitalization. The risk of food insufficiency among children and families in especially high-risk ecological contexts might be ameliorated with the provision of informal and formal sources of nutrition assistance and support.