non-Hispanic White Households Research Articles

Overall and race-specific associations between state-level minimum wage policy and food insecurity in the United States

BackgroundIn the USA, states can set higher minimum wages than the federal government. We investigated the association between state minimum wages and racial/ethnic inequities in food insecurity.MethodsHousehold-level food insecurity and...

Race, ethnicity, and the distribution of energy efficiency incentives

This paper examines the distribution of energy efficiency incentives by race and ethnicity among residential American households based on data from the Residential Energy Consumption Survey. Across a variety of types of incentives, non-Hispanic White households are the mostly likely to have received an incentive relative to American Indian or Alaskan Native; Asian; Black or African American; Hispanic White; Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander; or multi-racial households. I compute concentration indices to compare the degree of inequality by type of incentive. Tax credits, utility rebates, and subsidies for home energy audits have similar levels of inequality by race and ethnicity. Subsidies for efficient light bulbs have a more equal rate of uptake. The driving mechanism for these disparities appears to be that non-Hispanic White households are more likely to be homeowners, as the differences in uptake disappear in models that control for homeowner/renter status.

Time-Trends in Food Insecurity Among US-Born and Foreign-Born Hispanic Adults by Language Use: An Analysis of National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey Data, 1999-2018

BackgroundHistorically, food insecurity prevalence has been higher in Hispanic households than in non-Hispanic White households. Food insecurity prevalence among Hispanic adults, US-born and foreign-born, may vary by language use. ObjectiveTo explore whether or not the relationship between language use and food insecurity varied over time (1999-2018) among US-born and foreign-born Hispanic adults. DesignTrends analysis and multivariable logistic regression modeling using pooled cross-sectional data. Participants and settingFifteen thousand sixty-two Hispanic adults participating in the United States National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (1999-2018). Main outcome measuresFood insecurity prevalence, assessed with the US Household Food Security Survey Module. Statistical analysisUnadjusted food insecurity trends from 1999 to 2018 by language use (mostly English, both languages equally, or mostly Spanish) among US-born and foreign-born Hispanic adults were analyzed using piecewise-linear regression of log prevalence rates. Multivariable logistic regression models adjusted for sociodemographic characteristics and with an interaction term between language use and time were used to determine if odds of food insecurity among US-born and foreign-born Hispanic adults varied by language use between 1999 and 2018. ResultsHispanic adults’ food insecurity prevalence followed an upward linear trend from 1999 to 2018; this was significant for US-born mostly English-speakers (P < 0.001), US-born mostly Spanish-speakers (P = 0.013), and foreign-born mostly Spanish-speakers (P < 0.001). In fully adjusted logistic regression models, foreign-born Hispanic adults who spoke both languages equally (odds ratio 1.8, 95% CI 1.2 to 2.6) and those who spoke mostly Spanish (odds ratio 1.9, 95% CI 1.4 to 2.8) had significantly higher food insecurity odds, compared with mostly English-speakers. No variations in associations across time were observed between language use and food insecurity (interaction P value > 0.1). ConclusionsHispanic adults’ unadjusted food insecurity trends from 1999 to 2018 varied by language use. When adjusted for sociodemographic characteristics and compared with mostly English-speakers, food insecurity odds were significantly higher only among foreign-born Hispanic adults who spoke either both languages equally or mostly Spanish. Food assistance programs should linguistically adapt their services for Hispanic adults.

Sociodemographic disparities in purchases of fruit drinks with policy relevant front-of-package nutrition claims.

Our objectives were to describe sociodemographic characteristics associated with the purchase of (1) any fruit drinks and (2) fruit drinks with specific front-of-package (FOP) nutrition claims. Cross-sectional. USA. We merged fruit drink purchasing data from 60 712 household-months from 5233 households with children 0-5 years participating in Nielsen Homescan in 2017 with nutrition claims data. We examined differences in predicted probabilities of purchasing any fruit drinks by race/ethnicity, income and education. We constructed inverse probability (IP) weights based on likelihood of purchasing any fruit drinks. We used IP-weighted multivariable logistic regression models to examine predicted probabilities of purchasing fruit drinks with specific FOP claims. One-third of households with young children purchased any fruit drinks. Non-Hispanic (NH) Black (51·6 %), Hispanic (36·3 %), lower-income (39·3 %) and lower-educated households (40·9 %) were more likely to purchase any fruit drinks than NH White (31·3 %), higher-income (25·8 %) and higher-educated households (30·3 %) (all P < 0·001). In IP-weighted analyses, NH Black households were more likely to purchase fruit drinks with 'Natural' and fruit or fruit flavour claims (6·8 % and 3·7 %) than NH White households (4·5 % and 2·7 %) (both P < 0·01). Lower- and middle-income (15·0 % and 13·8 %) and lower- and middle-educated households (15·4 % and 14·5 %) were more likely to purchase fruit drinks with '100 % Vitamin C' claims than higher-income (10·8 %) and higher-educated households (12·9 %) (all P < 0·025). We found a higher likelihood of fruit drink purchases in lower-income, lower-educated, NH Black and Hispanic households. Experimental studies should determine if nutrition claims may be contributing to disparities in fruit drink consumption.

Unraveling the Hispanic Health Paradox

In 2019, Hispanics in the US had a life expectancy advantage of 3.0 years and 7.1 years over non-Hispanic Whites and non-Hispanic Blacks, respectively, despite having real-household income values 26 percentage points lower than Non-Hispanic White households. Hispanics appear to have equal or even better health outcomes relative to non-Hispanic Whites across various health measures. This is known as the Hispanic health paradox. This paper underscores the importance of disaggregating Hispanics by ancestry and age profile when discussing the paradox across key health outcomes. It also provides an overview of the leading explanations, such as the salmon bias and the healthy immigrant effect. Further, it highlights the role of healthcare access and usage in this discussion. Ignoring these sources of bias have important consequences for how morbidity and mortality among Hispanics are measured within widely used national datasets.

Simplification of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Recertification Processes and Association With Uninterrupted Access to Benefits Among Participants With Young Children

In the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), families may temporarily lose benefits for which they are still eligible because of administrative issues. This lapse in benefits, referred to as churning, increases the risk of food insecurity for families, which is linked with poorer health. To examine the rate of churning among SNAP participants with young children and evaluate the association of administrative policy changes with churning risk. A cross-sectional study of recertifications among 9735 SNAP-participating households with at least 1 child younger than 6 years from May to November 2019 tested whether there were sociodemographic differences in churning risk. An interrupted time series analysis of recertifications among 70 799 households from January 1, 2014, to December 31, 2019, tested whether state-level administrative policy changes were associated with churning risk. Data were analyzed between February and November 2021. Three Massachusetts SNAP administrative policy changes. Churn episodes, defined as losing SNAP benefits after a deadline for eligibility recertification followed by receiving benefits again within 30 days, measured using state SNAP administrative data. In 2019, a total of 9752 recertification events occurred among 9735 households (3841 [39.4%] Hispanic, 2138 [21.9%] non-Hispanic Black, and 3533 [36.2%] White) with at least 1 child younger than 6 years participating in SNAP. Of these households, 3984 (40.9%) experienced SNAP churning for a period of 1 to 30 days because of missed recertification forms in any given month. Churning was more common among Hispanic households (by 3.9 percentage points; 95% CI, 1.2-6.6 percentage points) than non-Hispanic White households and more common among households with more than 1 child younger than 6 years (by 5.6 percentage points; 95% CI, 3.0-8.1 percentage points) compared with smaller households. Among households that churned, non-Hispanic White households lost a mean of $10.51 (95% CI, $10.16-$10.86) in benefits per household member, and non-Hispanic Black households lost an additional $1.10 (95% CI, $0.47-$1.74) per household member. On implementation of a task-based, first-available-caseworker model, mean churn episode length was significantly shorter immediately on introduction of the model (-0.30 days per each month after the policy change; 95% CI, -0.52 to -0.07 days) and over time (-0.23 days per each month after the policy change; 95% CI, -0.26 to -0.20 days). At the addition of a second policy change to expand participants' access to simplified reporting requirements, a decrease was seen in the trend in the probability of a churn episode by -0.74 percentage points per month (95% CI, -0.87 to -0.62 percentage points). A third policy to expand online services for submitting recertification paperwork was not associated with a change in churn risk over time. Churning in SNAP is common among households with young children and is disproportionately experienced by Black and Hispanic households and lower-income households. Administrative changes to simplify caseworkers' workloads and streamline eligibility reporting for participants may reduce churn.

Economic and mental health impacts of multiple adverse events: Hurricane Harvey, other flooding events, and the COVID-19 pandemic

ObjectivesTo assess the economic and mental health impacts of COVID-19 in the presence of previous exposure to flooding events. MethodsStarting in April 2018, the Texas Flood Registry (TFR) invited residents to complete an online survey regarding their experiences with Hurricane Harvey and subsequent flooding events. Starting in April 2020, participants nationwide were invited to complete a brief online survey on their experiences during the pandemic. This study includes participants in the TFR (N = 20,754) and the COVID-19 Registry (N = 8568) through October 2020 (joint N = 2929).Logistic regression and generalized estimating equations were used to examine the relationship between exposure to flooding events and the economic and mental health impacts of COVID-19. ResultsAmong COVID-19 registrants, 21% experienced moderate to severe anxiety during the pandemic, and 7% and 12% of households had difficulty paying rent and bills, respectively. Approximately 17% of Black and 15% of Hispanic households had difficulty paying rent, compared to 5% of non-Hispanic white households. The odds of COVID-19 income loss are 1.20 (1.02, 1.40) times higher for those who previously had storm-related home damage compared to those who did not and 3.84 (3.25–4.55) times higher for those who experienced Harvey income loss compared to those who did not. For registrants for whom Harvey was a severe impact event, the odds of having more severe anxiety during the pandemic are 5.14 (4.02, 6.58) times higher than among registrants for whom Harvey was a no meaningful impact event. ConclusionsMultiple crises can jointly and cumulatively shape health and wellbeing outcomes. This knowledge can help craft emergency preparation and intervention programs.

Factors Associated with Financial Ratios and Financial Well-Being of Hispanic Households: A Comparison With White Households

Using data from the 2016 Survey of Consumer Finances (SCF) and the Family Life Cycle (FLC) and Human Capital Theory (HCT) as a framework, this study examined if factors related to the likelihood of financial ratio adequacy and financial well-being differ for Hispanic and non-Hispanic White households. Hispanics’ comprehensive financial well-being was assessed with three ratios: Liquidity, solvency, and investments/assets. Results of logistic regressions with 612 Hispanic and 4,481 non-Hispanic headed households show that FLC and HCT factors are associated with financial ratios differently between two race/ethnicity groups. For Hispanic households, age is positively related to adequate investment/assets ratio and financial well-being; education is positively related to adequate investment/assets but negatively related to adequate solvency. Implications for practitioners working with Hispanics are discussed.

The Online Ordering Behaviors among Participants in the Oklahoma Women, Infants, and Children Program: A Cross-Sectional Analysis.

The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) is a nutrition assistance program in the United States (U.S.). Participants in the program redeem their prescribed food benefits in WIC-authorized grocery stores. Online ordering is an innovative method being pilot-tested in some stores to facilitate WIC participants’ food benefit redemption, which has become especially important in the COVID-19 pandemic. The present research aimed to examine the online ordering (OO) behaviors among 726 WIC households who adopted WIC OO in a grocery chain, XYZ (anonymous) store, in Oklahoma (OK). These households represented approximately 5% of WIC households who redeemed WIC benefits in XYZ stores during the study period, which was 1 July to 31 December 2020. This period was during the COVID-19 pandemic but after the temporary lockdown in Oklahoma had been lifted. Descriptive statistics were estimated for WIC OO households’ adoption behaviors and their orders. The Cox proportional hazard model and zero-truncated negative binomial regression were applied to examine the relationship between participants’ socio-demographics and the length of time between 1 July 2020, and their first OO, as well as the number of WIC online orders. About 80% of these online orders were picked up without any changes. Minority households had a significantly longer time before adopting their first OO (hazard ratio (HR) < 1, p < 0.001), while households with a child or a woman participant, or more participants, had a shorter time before adopting OO (HR > 1, p < 0.05). Non-Hispanic black households had a fewer number of OOs than non-Hispanic white households (B = −0.374, p = 0.007). OO adoption varied across socio-demographics. More efforts are needed to ensure equal access and adoption of WIC OO.

Women, Infants, and Children Cash Value Benefit Redemption Choices in the Electronic Benefit Transfer Era.

This study aims to examine the relationship between cash value benefit (CVB) redemption outcomes in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) across food processing types and socio-demographics. Cross-sectional and panel analyses. Virginia. 98,067 Virginia WIC households. CVB redemption rate. The predominant share of CVB redemption was for fresh produce (77.3%). Non-Hispanic whites and blacks redeemed a smaller share of fresh produce than Hispanic participants (P < .001). Non-Hispanic black WIC households have a significantly lower CVB redemption rate than non-Hispanic white WIC households (β = -.008, P < .001). Households with a child participant tend to have a higher redemption rate (β = .01, P < .001). The redemption rates of fruits and of vegetables were positively correlated with household size. Minority status and household size were significantly related to CVB redemptions among Virginia WIC participants.

U.S. Households’ Children's Drink Purchases: 2006–2017 Trends and Associations With Marketing

Sugar-sweetened beverages contribute a large proportion of added sugar in young children's diets; yet, companies market sugar-sweetened children's drinks extensively to children and parents. This study examines the changes in children's drink purchases by U.S. households with young children and the associations with marketing practices. Longitudinal Nielsen U.S. household panel data provided monthly volume purchases by children's drink category (sugar-sweetened fruit drinks and flavored water and unsweetened juices) among households with young children (aged 1-5 years) from 2006 to 2017. Differences by household race/ethnicity and income were assessed. The 2-part models examined the associations between household purchases and marketing (including price and brand TV advertising) for each category, controlling for sociodemographics. Data were collected and analyzed in 2019-2020. Households' volume purchases of children's fruit drinks and unsweetened juices declined from 2006 to 2017, whereas flavored water purchases increased. Non-Hispanic Black households purchased significantly more fruit drinks (351.23 fluid ounces/month, 95% CI=342.63, 359.82) than non-Hispanic White (204.43 fluid ounces/month, 95% CI=201.81, 207.05) and Hispanic (222.63 fluid ounces/month, 95% CI=217.11, 228.15) households. Low-income households purchased more fruit drinks and fewer unsweetened juices than higher-income households (p<0.001). TV brand advertising was positively associated with purchases across all categories, and this relationship was stronger for low-income households (p<0.05). Despite expert recommendations that young children do not consume Sugar-sweetened beverages, households with young children purchase more sweetened fruit drinks than unsweetened juices. Extensive TV advertising for children's drink brands may exacerbate the racial and income disparities in sugar-sweetened beverage purchases. Public health initiatives to address sugar-sweetened beverage consumption by young children and restrictions on marketing sugar-sweetened beverages to children are necessary.

Social vulnerability to Hurricane Harvey: Unmet needs and adverse event experiences in Greater Houston, Texas

In August 2017, Hurricane Harvey struck the Texas Gulf Coast, causing record flooding in the Houston Metropolitan Statistical Area (“Greater Houston”). Our study assesses unmet needs and adverse event experiences of Greater Houstonians during and after Harvey using a suite of indicators of social vulnerability and disaster impacts. Indicators of social vulnerability have not been well integrated within US post-disaster needs assessment protocols. Using data collected within four months of Hurricane Harvey via a structured survey that was representative of the Greater Houston population, we employed bivariate and multivariable analyses to assess differences in unmet needs and adverse event experiences based on social vulnerability characteristics. Within the Hispanic population, we observed bivariate differences based on nativity (US-born vs. foreign-born) and US citizenship status. Foreign-born Hispanic people without US citizenship were more likely to suffer from particular unmet needs and adverse event experiences compared to Hispanic US citizens. Multivariable models revealed that racial/ethnic minority and lower-income households experienced significantly more unmet needs than non-Hispanic White and higher-income households during and after Harvey. Foreign born Hispanics who were citizens experienced significantly more adverse event experiences than non-Hispanic whites. The fact that socially vulnerable subgroups experienced disparate unmet needs following Harvey indicates that improvements in US post-disaster needs assessment protocols are imperative. Needs assessments should integrate a focus on social vulnerability, so that disaster assistance may be targeted to better meet survivors’ needs.

A Penny on the Dollar: Racial Inequalities in Wealth among Households with Children.

The dynamics of racial/ethnic wealth inequality among U.S. families with resident children (child households) have been understudied, a major oversight because of wealth’s impact on child development and intergenerational mobility. Using data from the Survey of Consumer Finances (2004–2016), the authors find that wealth gaps between black and white households are larger in, and have grown faster for, child households relative to the general population. In contrast, black-white income gaps for child households have remained largely unchanged. Wealth trends for black and Hispanic child households have diverged, and by 2016, Hispanic child households had more net worth than black child households. Between 2004 and 2016, home ownership rates and home equity levels for black child households decreased, while educational debt increased. In 2016, black child households had just one cent for every dollar held by non-Hispanic white child households. These findings depict the extreme wealth fragility of black child households.

Energy Cost Burdens for Low-Income and Minority Households

Problem, research strategy, and findings: Of the three primary components of housing affordability measures—rent, transportation, and utilities—utility costs are the least understood yet are the one area where the cost burden can be reduced without household relocation. Existing data sources to estimate energy costs are limited to surveys with small samples and low spatial and temporal resolution, such as the American Housing Survey and the Residential Energy Consumption Survey. In this study, we present a new method for small-area estimates of household energy cost burdens (ECBs) that leverages actual building energy use data for approximately 13,000 multifamily properties across five U.S. cities and links energy costs to savings opportunities by analyzing 3,000 energy audit reports. We examine differentials in cost burdens across household demographic and socioeconomic characteristics and analyze spatial, regional, and building-level variations in energy use and expenditures. Our results show the average low-income household has an ECB of 7%, whereas higher income households have an average burden of 2%. Notably, even within defined income bands, minority households experience higher ECBs than non-Hispanic White households. For lower income households, low-cost energy improvements could reduce energy costs by as much as $1,500 per year.Takeaway for practice: In this study we attempt to shift the focus of energy efficiency investments to their impact on household cost burdens and overall housing affordability. Our analysis explores new and unique data generated from measurement-driven urban energy policies and shows low-income households disproportionately bear the burden of poor-quality and energy-inefficient housing. Cities can use these new data resources and methods to develop equity-based energy policies that treat energy efficiency and climate mitigation as issues of environmental justice and that apply data-driven, targeted policies to improve quality of life for the most vulnerable urban residents.

Household Extension and Earnings Among Foreign-Born Asian and Non-Hispanic White Households

Previous research to understand socioeconomic well-being of immigrants finds the type of living arrangement is significantly correlated with household-level earnings. Present study employing 2009-2011 American Community Survey data explores the above relationship for the six major foreign-born Asian groups and native-born non-Hispanic Whites. The results indicate relative to Whites, household extension is more beneficial for Asian households. Furthermore, householders’ labor market advantages as measured by their human capital and English language proficiency are positively associated with nuclear living arrangement. However, diminishing gains in household earnings for the not so recent foreign-born immigrants living in vertically extended households displays a cultural inclination for collective living. Also, there are significant intergroup differences. While Japanese households appear to “rely” the least on household extension to enhance household earnings, the advantage of residing in extended households for the Filipinos and Koreans and especially so for the recent entrants is substantial.

Exploring the dynamics of racial food security gaps in the United States

Household-level food insecurity is one of the largest public health concerns facing millions of people in the United States today. Although recent work has highlighted gaps in food security rates between minority and non-Hispanic white households, little is known about how these households evolve through the overall distribution of food security over time. As such, we employ nonparametric estimators of distributional mobility to household-level data on food security from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Survey, Kindergarten Class of 1998–1999 study. Results suggest that Hispanic and non-Hispanic white households with children are equally mobile in the long run whereas non-Hispanic black households with children tend to be less upwardly mobile and more downwardly mobile in food security status over time.

Geographic Differences in the Dietary Quality of Food Purchases Among Participants in the Nationally-Representative Food Acquisition and Purchase Study (FoodAPS) (P04-158-19)

ObjectivesGrocery purchases may serve as an objective measure of diet, but it is unclear whether the diet quality of grocery purchases reflect geographic and racial/ethnic disparities observed in existing nationally-representative individual-level data. This study evaluated whether geographic and racial/ethnic disparities exist in the dietary quality of grocery purchases in a nationally-representative sample of US households. MethodsGrocery purchasing data from 3961 households from the Food Acquisition and Purchase Study (FoodAPS) were used. Demographic data was self-reported, and 7-day dietary data was recorded with scanners; the Healthy Eating Index (HEI) 2015 was used to assess diet quality. Survey-weighted multivariable-adjusted regression with planned contrasts was used to examine whether HEI-15 scores differed according to geographic region (Northeast, West, South, Midwest) and whether there was effect modification by race/ethnicity (Non-Hispanic White (NHW), Non-Hispanic Black (NHB) and Hispanic). ResultsPrimary respondents were, on average, 50.6 years, NHW (70.3%), female (70.2%) and had attended some college (57.8%). The mean HEI-15 score was 54.7, and scores differed by geography (P < 0.05), with the highest scores in the West (57.0 ± 0.8) and lowest scores in the South (53.1 ± 0.8). The influence of region on HEI-15 scores varied by race/ethnicity (p-interaction = 0.015). Among NHW, households in the South had scores that were 3.2-points lower than in the West (50.4 ± 0.7 vs. 53.6 ± 0.8, P = 0.003). Southern NHB households also had lower diet quality than NHB households in the West (48.6 ± 1.5 vs. 56.7 ± 2.7, P = 0.01). Conversely, Hispanic households in the Midwest (47.5 ± 2.0) had lower diet quality than Hispanic households in the South (54.1 ± 0.9, P = 0.02). Diet quality only differed across race/ethnicity (versus the NHW referent group) in the South and Midwest where Hispanic households had higher diet quality than NHW (54.1 ± 0.9 vs. 50.4 ± 0.7, P = 0.007) in the South, but lower diet quality than NHW households in the Midwest (47.5 ± 2.0 vs 52.2 ± 0.6, P = 0.02). ConclusionsDisparities in grocery purchase quality exist across US geographic regions and are divergent across racial/ethnic groups, which may reflect issues related to acculturation or environmental-level factors that require further study. Funding SourcesThis research was supported by the Rhode Island Foundation.

Geographic Differences in the Dietary Quality of Food Purchases among Participants in the Nationally Representative Food Acquisition and Purchase Survey (FoodAPS).

Objective grocery transactions may reflect diet, but it is unclear whether the diet quality of grocery purchases mirrors geographic and racial/ethnic disparities in diet-related diseases. This cross-sectional analysis of 3961 households in the nationally representative Food Acquisition and Purchase Survey evaluated geographic and racial/ethnic disparities in grocery purchase quality. Respondents self-reported demographics and recorded purchases over 7 days; the Healthy Eating Index (HEI) 2015 assessed diet quality. Survey-weighted multivariable-adjusted regression determined whether there were geographic and racial/ethnic differences in HEI-15 scores. Respondents were, on average, 50.6 years, non-Hispanic white (NHW) (70.3%), female (70.2%), and had attended some college (57.8%). HEI-15 scores differed across geographic region (p < 0.05), with the highest scores in the West (57.0 ± 0.8) and lowest scores in the South (53.1 ± 0.8), and there was effect modification by race/ethnicity (p-interaction = 0.02). Regionally, there were diet disparities among NHW and non-Hispanic black (NHB) households; NHWs in the South had HEI-15 scores 3.2 points lower than NHWs in the West (p = 0.003). Southern NHB households had HEI-15 scores 8.1 points lower than Western NHB households (p = 0.013). Racial/ethnic disparities in total HEI-15 by region existed in the Midwest and South, where Hispanic households in the Midwest and South had significantly lower diet quality than NHW households. Heterogeneous disparities in the diet quality of grocery purchases by region and race/ethnicity necessitate tailored approaches to reduce diet-related disease.

Watching Television while Eating: Associations with Dietary Intake and Weight Status among a Diverse Sample of Young Children

BackgroundTelevision (TV) watching at family meals has been associated with poorer dietary quality and weight outcomes in children. Most research has been limited to family meals, overlooking the influence of TV at any meal. ObjectiveThis study assesses how often children are eating meals at home while watching TV, the association between child dietary intake while watching TV during meals eaten at home and whether the association depends on meal type (eg, breakfast) or child race/ethnicity, and whether the number of meals consumed while watching TV at home is associated with overall child dietary quality or weight status. DesignThe Family Matters study utilized a cross-sectional design and was conducted between 2015 and 2016. Participants/settingThree 24-hour dietary recalls were conducted on children aged 5 to 7 years (n=150; 25 each from non-Hispanic white, African American, Latino, Native American, Somali, and Hmong households). Main outcome measuresMain outcomes of this study were dietary intake at meals, overall dietary quality, and child weight status. Statistical analysis performedConditional fixed effects estimators were used to address correlated error terms to model within-person variation between TV and dietary intake and race/ethnicity differences in child dietary outcomes. ResultsTV was watched during 30% of meals eaten at home, which differed significantly by race/ethnicity (P<0.001). Although effect sizes were small, TV watching at meals was associated with unhealthier intake of some foods groups (eg, increased sugar-sweetened beverages and chips/crackers and decreased fruits), dependent on the meal occasion (eg, snacks). However, TV watching during meals at home was not significantly associated with dietary intake for other food groups. These associations did not depend on race/ethnicity. An association between number of meals consumed while watching TV with overall dietary quality or weight status was not found. ConclusionsAlthough more research is needed, results suggest TV watching while eating meals at home is relatively common, depends on race/ethnicity, and that TV watching at some meal occasions is associated with child intake of certain food groups, with a majority being unhealthy.

Energy Cost Burdens for Low-Income and Minority Households in Six U.S. Cities: Evidence from Energy Benchmarking and Audit Data

Of the three primary components of housing affordability measures - housing cost, transportation costs, and utility costs - utility expenditures are the least understood, yet the one area where the cost burden can be reduced without household relocation. Existing data sources to measure energy costs are limited to surveys with small samples and low spatial and temporal resolution, such as the American Housing Survey and the Residential Energy Consumption Survey. This paper presents a new method to estimate household energy cost burdens that leverages actual building energy use data for 13,000 multi-family properties across six U.S. cities, and links energy costs to savings opportunities based on an analysis of 3,000 energy audit reports. We examine differentials in cost burdens across household demographic and socioeconomic characteristics, and analyze spatial, regional, and building-level variations in energy use and expenditures. We find that the average low-income household has an energy cost burden of 7%, whereas higher-income households have an average burden of 2%. Notably, we find that even within defined income bands, minority households experience higher energy cost burdens than non-Hispanic White households. For lower-income households, low-cost energy improvements could reduce energy costs by as much as $1,500 per year.