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Elshahat S, Moffat T, Gagnon O, Charkatli L, Gomes-Szoke ED. The relationship between diet/nutrition and the mental health of immigrants in Western societies through a holistic bio-psycho-socio-cultural lens: A scoping review. Appetite 2023; 183:106463. [PMID: 36682625 DOI: 10.1016/j.appet.2023.106463] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2022] [Revised: 12/20/2022] [Accepted: 01/16/2023] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
Epidemiological evidence suggests that diet and nutrition not only impact individuals' physical health but also shape their mental health (MH). The nutrition/diet-MH relationship may be critical among immigrants due to socioeconomic and sociocultural factors. Despite the complex nutrition/diet-MH relationship, most scholarship in this area employs a biomedical perspective. This scoping review of 63 studies deployed a holistic bio-psycho-socio-cultural framework to examine the relationship between diet/nutrition and immigrants' MH. Five automated databases (Embase, PubMed, Medline, PsycINFO and Anthropology Plus) were systematically searched for relevant articles from Western countries. A bio-psycho-socio-cultural conceptual model guided the analysis of the multi-faceted diet/nutrition-MH relationship. Consumption of fruit/vegetables, unsaturated fats, vitamin D-rich foods and whole grains was significantly positively related to MH. Reported pathways included enhanced self-esteem and ability to stay physically active. Energy-dense food consumption emanating from unhealthful dietary acculturation to the Western lifestyle was associated with poor MH through various mechanisms, including exhaustion and worry about developing non-communicable diseases. Food insecurity and related hunger were significantly positively associated with depression and anxiety among immigrants through different pathways, including family conflicts, homesickness, social exclusion, feelings of shame/stigma, and helplessness related to not affording nutritious foods that meet one's cultural dietary requirements. Ethnic food consumption appeared to mitigate MH issues and enhance immigrants' well-being. A bio-psycho-socio-cultural-informed model is needed to gain an in-depth and encompassing understanding of immigrant MH as it relates to diet/nutrition. The first iteration of such a model is presented in this review alongside an illustration of how it may be used to strengthen an analysis and understanding of the multi-faceted diet/nutrition-MH relationship amongst immigrants and inform public health professionals and dieticians/practitioners.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Elshahat
- Department of Anthropology, Faculty of Social Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.
| | - Tina Moffat
- Department of Anthropology, Faculty of Social Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
| | - Olivia Gagnon
- Department of Neuroscience, Faculty of Science, Carleton University, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Lein Charkatli
- Department of Psychology, Neuroscience, & Behavior, Faculty of Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada; Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
| | - Emily D Gomes-Szoke
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
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Driver N, Tebbe M, Burke M, Amin NS. Factors associated with food insecurity among Latinx/Hispanics in the U.S.: evidence from the Fragile Families & Childhood Wellbeing Study. ETHNICITY & HEALTH 2023:1-14. [PMID: 36967135 DOI: 10.1080/13557858.2023.2176828] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2022] [Accepted: 01/30/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE U.S. Latinx/Hispanic families experience higher food insecurity rates than the general population. Few studies have examined factors that contribute to food insecurity among the Latinx/Hispanic population, and none have done so using a national dataset. Drawing from the ecological theory of human development framework, this study explores the following research questions: What micro-, meso-, and exo/macro-system factors are related to adult and child food insecurity? How do these factors compare for Latinx/Hispanic, Black, and White mothers? DESIGN This study uses data from the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study (FFCWS), a national survey that follows a birth cohort of mostly unwed parents and their children over a 15-year period. The sample was limited to Hispanic (both foreign-born and native-born), non-Hispanic Black mothers, and non-Hispanic White mothers. This yielded a final sample size of 2,636 for all mothers and 665 for Latinx/Hispanic mothers. RESULTS While micro-level factors were influential for food insecurity, they alone could not explain the variation. Social support, a meso-level factor, remained a consistently significant predictor for both adult and child food insecurity, regardless of race/ethnicity. There were also several key differences in predictors across racial/ethnic groups. Being Spanish speaking and mother's health status were only significant for Latinx/Hispanic mothers, and neighborhood support was not significant for Latinx/Hispanic mothers. CONCLUSIONS Drawing from ecological theory, our study explores the micro-, meso-, and exo-/macro-level variables that influence food insecurity. Findings suggest that access to social support is crucial for disadvantaged families avoiding food insecurity, despite race/ethnicity. Still, factors predicting food insecurity may be racialized and should be recognized as such.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nichola Driver
- Clinton School of Public Service, University of Arkansas, Little Rock, AR, USA
| | - Megan Tebbe
- Clinton School of Public Service, University of Arkansas, Little Rock, AR, USA
| | - Madeline Burke
- Clinton School of Public Service, University of Arkansas, Little Rock, AR, USA
| | - Neveen Shafeek Amin
- Department of Sociology and Anthropology, University of Arkansas, Little Rock, AR, USA
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Varela EG, McVay MA, Shelnutt KP, Mobley AR. The Determinants of Food Insecurity Among Hispanic/Latinx Households With Young Children: A Narrative Review. Adv Nutr 2023; 14:190-210. [PMID: 36811589 PMCID: PMC10103006 DOI: 10.1016/j.advnut.2022.12.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2022] [Revised: 12/01/2022] [Accepted: 12/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Food insecurity has disproportionately impacted Hispanic/Latinx households in the United States, specifically those with young children. Although the literature provides evidence of an association between food insecurity and adverse health outcomes in young children, minimal research has addressed the social determinants and related risk factors associated with food insecurity among Hispanic/Latinx households with children under three, a highly vulnerable population. Using the Socio-Ecological Model (SEM) as a framework, this narrative review identified factors associated with food insecurity among Hispanic/Latinx households with children under three. A literature search was conducted using PubMed and four additional search engines. Inclusion criteria consisted of articles published in English from November 1996 to May 2022 that examined food insecurity among Hispanic/Latinx households with children under three. Articles were excluded if conducted in settings other than the US and/or focused on refugees and temporary migrant workers. Data were extracted (i.e., objective, setting, population, study design, measures of food insecurity, results) from the final articles (n = 27). The strength of each article's evidence was also evaluated. Results identified individual factors (i.e., intergenerational poverty, education, acculturation, language, etc.), interpersonal factors (i.e., household composition, social support, cultural customs), organizational factors (i.e., interagency collaboration, organizational rules), community factors (i.e., food environment, stigma, etc.), and public policy/societal factors (i.e., nutrition assistance programs, benefit cliffs, etc.) associated with a food security status of this population. Overall, most articles were classified as "medium" or higher quality for the strength of evidence, and more frequently focused on individual or policy factors. Findings indicate the need for more research to include a focus on public policy/society factors, as well as on multiple levels of the SEM with considerations of how individual and policy levels intersect and to create or adapt nutrition-related and culturally appropriate interventions to improve food security of Hispanic/Latinx households with young children.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elder Garcia Varela
- Graduate Research and Teaching Assistant, Department of Health Education and Behavior, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Megan A McVay
- Department of Health Education and Behavior, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Karla P Shelnutt
- Department of Family, Youth & Community Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Amy R Mobley
- Department of Health Education and Behavior, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA.
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Matias SL, French CD, Gomez-Lara A, Schenker MB. Chronic disease burden among Latino farmworkers in California. Front Public Health 2022; 10:1024083. [PMID: 36530711 PMCID: PMC9755602 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2022.1024083] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2022] [Accepted: 11/15/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Farmworkers are an essential workforce to maintain California's extensive agricultural production. However, this mostly Latino, immigrant population is affected by high poverty rates and food insecurity, which increases their risk of chronic diseases. We analyzed clinical and interview data from three studies of Latino farmworkers in California: (1) the Mexican Immigration to California: Agricultural Safety and Acculturation (MICASA) study, (2) the PASOS SALUDABLES pilot intervention (PASOS Pilot), and (3) the PASOS Study, a cluster-randomized, controlled trial (PASOS RCT). We aimed to determine the prevalence of diet-related chronic health outcomes (obesity, elevated waist circumference, high blood pressure, and high total cholesterol) and identify sociodemographic and socioeconomic factors associated with these conditions in this population. A total of 1,300 participants were included in this study (452 from MICASA, 248 from PASOS Pilot, and 600 from PASOS RCT). Obesity prevalence ranged from 29.2 to 54.5% across samples; elevated waist circumference was observed in 29.4-54.0% of participants; high blood pressure was detected in 42.0-45.5% of participants; 23.7-25.8% of participants had high total cholesterol. Age was positively associated with each health outcome, although not for each sample; each additional year in age increased odds by 3-9%, depending on the outcome and sample. Females were at higher risk of obesity (one sample) and elevated waist circumference, but at lower risk of high blood pressure and high total cholesterol. Single, divorced or widowed participants (vs. married/living together) had 35 and 47% reduced odds of obesity and elevated waist circumference, respectively. Each additional year living in the US was associated with 3-6% increased odds of obesity, depending on the sample. Higher household income was associated with a reduction in odds of high total cholesterol up to 76% (one sample). These findings highlight the increased risk of chronic health conditions in Latino farmworkers, in particular for obesity, and among farmworkers who may lack access to health care, which represents a large proportion of this population. Differences in chronic health risks by sex suggest that clinical and public health responses might need to be sex-specific. Expansion of eligibility for supplemental nutrition programs for this low-income population could reduce their disease burden.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susana L. Matias
- Nutritional Sciences and Toxicology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, United States,*Correspondence: Susana L. Matias
| | - Caitlin D. French
- Nutritional Sciences and Toxicology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, United States
| | - Alexander Gomez-Lara
- Nutritional Sciences and Toxicology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, United States
| | - Marc B. Schenker
- Public Health Sciences, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
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Quandt SA, Smith SA, Talton JW, Chen H, Laurienti PJ, Arcury TA. Change and Continuity in Preventive Practices Across the COVID-19 Pandemic Among Rural and Urban Latinx Immigrant Worker Families. HYGIENE (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2022; 2:200-211. [PMID: 36465586 PMCID: PMC9704367 DOI: 10.3390/hygiene2040018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND (1)The COVID-19 pandemic has put essential workers at high risk for contracting the disease. This study documents situational compliance with public health recommendations such as masking and social distancing among rural and urban Latinx families, with the goal of understanding change over time in COVID-19 risk reduction behaviors. METHODS (2)Respondents for 67 rural families and 44 urban families responded to repeated telephone surveys at three time points in the first year of the pandemic, providing data on use of masks and social distancing by themselves and family members while interacting with others at home, work, and in the community. Cumulative logistic regression models were employed to compare changes in risk behaviors between rural and urban groups over time. RESULTS (3)While group descriptive results indicated behaviors that posed low risk at each time point, regression models revealed greater change between time points for rural than urban residents. Rural residents also had gendered patterns. CONCLUSIONS (4)Patterns of change appear to reflect structural issues such as seasonal labor demand and gender roles more than pandemic fatigue or changing public health recommendations. The findings suggest that structural factors play a role in individuals complying with public health prevention measures for COVID-19.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara A Quandt
- Department of Epidemiology and Prevention, Division of Public Health Sciences, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC 27157, USA
| | - Sydney A Smith
- Department of Biostatistics and Data Science, Division of Public Health Sciences, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC 27157, USA
| | - Jennifer W Talton
- Department of Biostatistics and Data Science, Division of Public Health Sciences, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC 27157, USA
| | - Haiying Chen
- Department of Biostatistics and Data Science, Division of Public Health Sciences, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC 27157, USA
| | - Paul J Laurienti
- Department of Radiology, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC 27157, USA
| | - Thomas A Arcury
- Department of Family and Community Medicine, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC 27157, USA
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Dou N, Murray-Kolb LE, Mitchell DC, Melgar-Quiñonez H, Na M. Food Insecurity and Mental Well-Being in Immigrants: A Global Analysis. Am J Prev Med 2022; 63:301-311. [PMID: 35660048 DOI: 10.1016/j.amepre.2022.02.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2021] [Revised: 02/02/2022] [Accepted: 02/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION This study estimates the prevalence of food insecurity, mental well-being, and their associations among immigrants and compares the food insecurity-mental well-being associations with nonimmigrants globally and by region. METHODS The Gallup World Poll data from 2014 to 2019 were analyzed in 2021. A total of 36,313 immigrants and 705,913 nonimmigrants were included. Food insecurity was measured by the Food Insecurity Experience Scale. Mental well-being was assessed using the Negative Experience Index and Positive Experience Index. A community attachment index was used to measure the living environment. Multilevel mixed-effect linear models were used to examine how the Negative Experience Index/Positive Experience Index was associated with food insecurity and the community attachment index in immigrants and nonimmigrants, adjusting for sociodemographic characteristics, survey years, and country fixed effects. The modifying effects of immigration status on food insecurity-mental well-being associations were tested. RESULTS The weighted proportion of food insecurity among global immigrants was 38.6% during 2014-2019. In the pooled adjusted model, food insecurity was dose-responsively associated with greater Negative Experience Index and lower Positive Experience Index than the food-secure ref (p<0.001 for trend). Similar dose-response associations were observed in nonimmigrants and in region-specific analyses. Community attachment marginally affected the food insecurity-mental well-being associations (all p≤0.001 for interaction). Immigration status significantly modified the food insecurity-mental well-being associations in all analyses (all p=0.01 for interaction), and immigrants experienced poorer mental well-being than nonimmigrants at the same level of community attachment and food insecurity. CONCLUSIONS Food insecurity is prevalent and is associated with poor mental well-being in immigrants worldwide. Future interventions are needed to alleviate food insecurity and promote community attachment to improve mental health among immigrants, especially in Asian and Pacific countries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nan Dou
- Department of Nutritional Sciences, College of Health and Human Development, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania
| | - Laura E Murray-Kolb
- Department of Nutrition Science, College of Health and Human Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana
| | - Diane C Mitchell
- Department of Nutritional Sciences, College of Health and Human Development, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania
| | - Hugo Melgar-Quiñonez
- McGill Institute for Global Food Security, School of Human Nutrition, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Muzi Na
- Department of Nutritional Sciences, College of Health and Human Development, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania.
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Stone GA, Fernandez M, DeSantiago A. Rural Latino health and the built environment: a systematic review. ETHNICITY & HEALTH 2022; 27:1-26. [PMID: 30999761 DOI: 10.1080/13557858.2019.1606899] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2018] [Accepted: 04/08/2019] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
Objective: This study systematically reviewed literature examining the influence of the rural built environment on Latinos' health outcomes and behaviour in the United States. A secondary aim of the study was to identify strategies developed to address challenges in the rural built environment affecting Latinos' health.Design: This study followed the reporting guidelines set forth by the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) statement. Articles included in the final analysis clearly linked Latino health outcomes to characteristics of the rural built environment.Results: Of the nearly 2,500 articles identified in the initial search, the final review included approximately 146 full-text sources. The majority of the articles focused on aspects of Latinos' physical (n = 68), behavioural (n = 43), and mental health (n = 23).Conclusions: Rural Latino neighbourhoods in the United States possess limited access to health care, internet, transportation, and recreation infrastructure, which negatively impacts health outcomes and behaviours. Strategies developed to mitigate these issues include but are not limited to: the use of telecommunications to distribute health information; the use of community health workers and mobile clinics to increase awareness and availability of select health services; the use of worksite trainings and adaptations to the workplace; and the promotion of safety net programmes, such as the Supplemental Nutrition Programme for Women, Infants and Children (WIC). This review supports the need for a more robust research agenda documenting the health experiences of rural Latinos of various nationalities, age groups, and genders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Garrett A Stone
- Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management, Clemson University, Clemson, USA
| | - Mariela Fernandez
- Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management, Clemson University, Clemson, USA
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Tabler J, Mykyta L, Nagata JM. The association between HIV/AIDS and food insecurity at the US-Mexico border: Experiences of low-income patients in the Rio Grande Valley. Int J STD AIDS 2020; 32:14-22. [PMID: 33241752 DOI: 10.1177/0956462420930601] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
US-Mexico border communities are uniquely vulnerable to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) transmission given the economic and social challenges these communities face. We surveyed low-income, predominantly Latinx residents receiving sexually transmitted infection testing and/or HIV/acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) care in the lower Rio Grande Valley of southernmost Texas about their experiences of food insecurity. Participants aged 18 years and over took a self-administered survey available in English or Spanish in a clinic waiting room (N = 251). Ordinary least squares regression results suggested that those with a prior HIV/AIDS diagnosis reported a response for food insecurity that was approximately 0.67 points higher than peers without a prior HIV/AIDS diagnosis (coefficient = 0.67; p < 0.05), even when adjusting for sociodemographic characteristics, social support, perceived discrimination, and neighborhood environment. Interaction results between age and HIV status indicated that younger individuals living with HIV/AIDS experienced uniquely higher food insecurity; those who reported a prior HIV/AIDS diagnosis experienced an additional reduction in food insecurity by approximately 0.06 points for each additional year of age (age × HIV/AIDS interaction coefficient = -0.06; p < 0.05). Community programs serving low-income populations should consider screening for and intervening on food insecurity, especially among young adults living with HIV/AIDS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer Tabler
- Department of Criminal Justice and Sociology, 4416University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY, USA
| | - Laryssa Mykyta
- Social, Economic and Housing Statistics Division, US.Census Bureau, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Jason M Nagata
- Division of Adolescent and Young Adult Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, 8785University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
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Tutunchi H, Ebrahimi-Mameghani M, Asghari-Jafarabadi M, Farrin N, Tabrizi S, Vaghef-Mehrabany E, Ostadrahimi A. Is the modified household food security survey (HFSS) questionnaire a practical tool for screening food insecurity? Evidence from northwest of Iran. BMC Public Health 2020; 20:883. [PMID: 32513137 PMCID: PMC7282109 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-020-09014-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2019] [Accepted: 05/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Adequate supplies of food and food security (FS) are the fundamental aspects of human societies, and considered one of the pivotal factors of individual and social health. The aim of the present study was to assess the applicability of the short questionnaire for screening food insecurity (FI) and to evaluate the prevalence of FI in northwest of Iran. METHODS In this study, 550 subjects aged ≥16 years were studied. Three-day dietary records and a short questionnaire were applied to estimate the prevalence of FI in terms of hunger and hidden hunger. The sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of the short questionnaire were assessed. Moreover, the association between the results of the short questionnaire and the criteria that were theoretically related to FI were examined. Data were presented as mean (SD), median (min-max) for the numeric normal and non-normal variables, respectively, and frequency (percent) for categorical variables. The between-group comparisons of variables were done using independent samples t test. P values less than 0.05 were considered statistically significant. RESULTS The prevalence of hunger and hidden hunger was 30.8 and 46.0%, respectively. Overall, 23.2% of the subjects were classified as "food secure". The sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of the short questionnaire in determining hunger were 92.8% (95% CI: 87.3-95.9), 84.2% (95% CI: 79.3-89.3), and 87% (95% CI: 84-90.2), respectively. These values for hidden hunger were 21.6% (95% CI: 15.7-29.9), 92.3% (95% CI: 88.7-99.4), and 53.4% (95% CI: 47.9-59.8), respectively. Our study showed a statistically significant association between FI and socio-economic status. FI significantly enhanced the risk of underweight, while it markedly reduced the risk of overweight and obesity. The average frequency of monthly consumption of meat, dairy products, fruits, vegetables, and rice was significantly lower in food insecure group, while the median frequency of bread consumption was markedly higher in food insecure group. The participants of insecure group were less likely to consume fruits, vegetables, dairy products, rice and meat. CONCLUSIONS FI was frequent in North-west of Iran. The findings indicated that the short questionnaire was a simple, low-cost and practical tool for screening FI in terms of hunger. TRIAL REGISTRATION IR.TBZMED.REC.1397.400.
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Affiliation(s)
- Helda Tutunchi
- Nutrition Research Center, Department of Clinical Nutrition, School of Nutrition & Food Sciences, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, 5166614711 Iran
| | - Mehrangiz Ebrahimi-Mameghani
- Social Determinant of Health Research Center, School of Nutrition & Food Sciences, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | | | - Nazila Farrin
- Nutrition Research Center, School of Nutrition & Food Sciences, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Sirous Tabrizi
- Faculty of Education, University of Windsor, Windsor, Canada
| | - Elnaz Vaghef-Mehrabany
- Nutrition Research Center, School of Nutrition & Food Sciences, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Alireza Ostadrahimi
- Nutrition Research Center, Department of Clinical Nutrition, School of Nutrition & Food Sciences, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, 5166614711 Iran
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Dietary acculturation among African emigrant students in India: determinants and problems. Public Health Nutr 2020; 23:2402-2409. [PMID: 32389158 DOI: 10.1017/s1368980019005226] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Emigrants face a high level of food insecurity. There is a wide research gap in the domain of identifying the determinants and problems of dietary acculturation in the context of emigrant students. This article attempts to study the factors affecting the dietary acculturation of African emigrant students in India. DESIGN For conducting a first-of-its-kind study for African emigrant students in India, we used field survey method, and the primary data were collected using a pre-structured questionnaire. SETTING This was a field survey conducted in Punjab (a state of India). PARTICIPANTS One hundred and twenty African emigrant students participated in the survey. RESULTS Results of logistic regression indicated that food awareness (P = 0·027) and food suitability (P = 0·043) were the major determinants of dietary acculturation. Lack of familiarity and lack of proximity to food access points are the major problems faced by the African emigrant students. African emigrant students prepared for dietary acculturation largely only after coming to India. There is a significant positive correlation (P = 0·013) between problems faced by the respondents and tendency to prepare for acculturation after coming to India. CONCLUSIONS Information regarding local food environment plays a significant role in dietary acculturation. There is a pertinent need to educate emigrant students regarding food availability and access by developing suitable educational content.
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Disability, food insecurity by nativity, citizenship, and duration. SSM Popul Health 2020; 10:100550. [PMID: 32090167 PMCID: PMC7026296 DOI: 10.1016/j.ssmph.2020.100550] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2019] [Revised: 01/27/2020] [Accepted: 01/30/2020] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Prior research examines the prevalence of either disability or food insecurity among immigrants. We examine whether the presence of a disability operates as a stronger predictor of food insecurity among prime-aged immigrants relative to the US-born. Probit models estimate the relationship of disability with food insecurity among immigrants and distinguish by duration of US residence and citizenship status using nationally representative data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) spanning 1999 to 2014. Descriptively, food insecurity was highest among non-citizen immigrants with longer durations of US residence, compared to non-citizen immigrants with shorter durations and naturalized immigrants. Multivariate results suggest that among Hispanics, the association between disability and food insecurity was stronger among immigrants compared to US-born adults; the disability-food insecurity association varied by an immigrant's duration of US residence and citizenship status. The results emphasize the importance of disaggregating by citizenship status and duration of US residence.
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Vasquez-Huot LM, Dudley JR. The Voices of Latinx People: Overcoming Problems of Food Insecurity. JOURNAL OF HUNGER & ENVIRONMENTAL NUTRITION 2020. [DOI: 10.1080/19320248.2020.1717713] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Ligia M. Vasquez-Huot
- Department of Public Health Sciences, University of North Carolina Charlotte, Charlotte, USA
| | - James R. Dudley
- School of Social Work, University of North Carolina Charlotte, Charlotte, USA
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Leung CW, Stewart AL, Portela-Parra ET, Adler NE, Laraia BA, Epel ES. Understanding the Psychological Distress of Food Insecurity: A Qualitative Study of Children's Experiences and Related Coping Strategies. J Acad Nutr Diet 2020; 120:395-403. [PMID: 31959490 DOI: 10.1016/j.jand.2019.10.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2019] [Accepted: 10/15/2019] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Food insecurity, a condition of inadequate household food availability, affects 15.7% of US households with children. Food insecurity is generally believed to affect the quantity and quality of food consumed. However, an understudied but important aspect of the experience of food insecurity is psychological distress. OBJECTIVE To critically explore the psychological distress associated with children's food insecurity using children's own reports of their experiences. DESIGN In-depth qualitative interviews conducted with children to better understand the psychological distress associated with food insecurity. PARTICIPANTS/SETTING Sixty children (aged 7 to 14 years) were recruited from the San Francisco Bay Area. Children were eligible in the case that they spoke English fluently and their parent reported any experience of household food insecurity during the past year. RESULTS Children discussed six themes related to the psychological distress associated with food insecurity: worrying about not having enough food, worrying about their parents' well-being, anger and frustration about not having enough food, embarrassment about their family's food situation, strain on the family's dynamics due to food insecurity, and sadness over not having enough food. After describing their experiences, children described strategies they employed to tolerate or cope with food insecurity, including distracting from or using their imagination to cope with food insecurity, increasing tolerance of their family's food situation, and appreciating their parents for providing food and resources. CONCLUSIONS Food insecurity contributes to children's psychological distress. Given the known effects of chronic stress in childhood, the psychological distress of food insecurity may represent an important mechanism by which food insecurity adversely influences children's growth and development and deserves investigation in future studies.
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The Role of Parents' Nativity in Shaping Differential Risks of Food Insecurity Among US First Graders. Matern Child Health J 2019; 23:910-918. [PMID: 30680504 DOI: 10.1007/s10995-018-02717-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
Objectives Food insecurity remains a problem in the US, especially for children in immigrant families. We developed a novel measure of parental nativity and incorporated school effects to advance knowledge from prior studies. Methods Using hierarchical logistic models and data from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study-2011 Kindergarten Cohort, we examined how parental nativity and race/ethnicity, and school characteristics influence household food insecurity among a nationally representative sample of US first-graders in 2012. Results After adjusting for potential confounders, children without any US-born parents had a higher likelihood of household food insecurity than children with two US-born parents or one foreign-born/one US-born parent. Attending a Title 1 school was associated with food insecurity independent of household socioeconomic status. Conclusions for Practice Results suggest that providers should take special care to screen for food insecurity among children with only immigrant parents and that Title 1 schools have a potentially important role to play in reducing food insecurity.
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Frequency of Food Insecurity and Associated Health Outcomes in Pediatric Patients at a Federally Qualified Health Center. J Community Health 2019; 43:896-900. [PMID: 29549567 DOI: 10.1007/s10900-018-0499-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
Food insecurity (FI) has been recognized as a public challenge not only for developing countries but also for the U.S. POPULATION The present study was designed to identify the prevalence of FI and the association of household FI with the health status of pediatric patients seen at a Federally Qualified Health Center in New Jersey which provides health care mainly for Latino patients. Patients were included if they were screened for FI at their well visits during a 4-month period following implementation of the 2-item screening tool recommended by American Academy of Pediatrics. We compared demographic and morbidity data of children with FI to those living in food-secure households. The results are presented as the distribution of frequency (%) and odds ratios (OR) with 95% confidence interval (95% CI). FI was detected in 15.8% (95% CI 14.2-17.5%) of 486 studied children. We recorded higher rates of anemia (10.4 vs. 3.2%, p < 0.005), hypercholesterolemia (10.4 vs. 3.4%, p < 0.01), and any morbidity (24.7 vs. 9.3%, p < 0.02) in children living in FI households. Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed an association of household FI with at least one recorded morbidity independent of the patient's age, gender, and body mass index (OR 1.79, 95% CI 1.31-2.43). No one was diagnosed with diabetes, and only a few with asthma and hypertension. We have concluded that living in households with FI increased the risk for unfavorable health outcomes in a predominantly economically disadvantage community of children within the U.S. POPULATION
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Food insecurity, acculturation and diagnosis of CHD and related health outcomes among immigrant adults in the USA. Public Health Nutr 2019; 23:416-431. [PMID: 31405405 DOI: 10.1017/s1368980019001952] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To deepen understanding of the relationship between food insecurity, acculturation, and diagnosis of CHD and related health outcomes among immigrant adults. DESIGN Using cross-sectional, nationally representative data from the National Health Interview Survey 2011 to 2015, we address two research questions. First, what is the relationship of household food insecurity and acculturation with: CHD, angina pectoris, heart attack, self-rated poor health and obesity? Second, what is the association of food insecurity with these health outcomes over years of living in the USA? We estimate multivariate logistic regressions without (question 1) and with (question 2) an interaction term between food insecurity and acculturation for CHD and related health outcomes. SETTING USA. PARTICIPANTS Low-income immigrant adults. RESULTS Food insecurity and acculturation are both associated with diagnosis of CHD and related health outcomes among immigrant adults. Food insecurity and acculturation are associated with the health of female immigrants more than males. Also, the differences by food security status in the probability of having several poor health outcomes (self-rated heath, obesity, women's angina pectoris) are largest for those in the USA for less than 5 years, decrease for those who have lived in the USA for 5-14 years, and are larger again for those in the USA for 15 or more years. CONCLUSIONS Recent and long-term food-insecure immigrants are more vulnerable to CHD and related health outcomes than those in the USA for 5-14 years. Further research is needed to understand why.
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Food Insecurity and Nutritional Risk among Canadian Newcomer Children in Saskatchewan. Nutrients 2019; 11:nu11081744. [PMID: 31362415 PMCID: PMC6723799 DOI: 10.3390/nu11081744] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2019] [Revised: 07/17/2019] [Accepted: 07/23/2019] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Food insecurity continues to persist among vulnerable groups in Canada, including newcomer families. This mixed-methods study uses an exploratory sequential design to characterize the food security status of newcomer families with children aged 3–13 years. Parents completed food security and 24-hour dietary recall questionnaires, and parents and service providers were interviewed to explore their food insecurity experiences. Fifty percent of participant households experienced food insecurity, while 41% of children were food insecure. More recent newcomer families, and families with parents that had completed high school or some years of postsecondary training, more commonly experienced household food insecurity, compared to families with parents without high school diplomas or those with university degrees. Food-insecure children aged 4–8 years were at higher risk of consuming a lower proportion of energy from protein, lower servings of milk products, and inadequate intakes of vitamin B12 and calcium. Participants identified changes in food buying habits due to low income, using food budgets to purchase prescription drugs and to repay transportation loans, while the school food environment impacted children’s food security. Food security initiatives targeting newcomers may benefit from building on the strengths of newcomers, including traditional dietary practices and willingness to engage in capacity-building programming.
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Quandt SA, Groeschel-Johnson A, Kinzer HT, Jensen A, Miles K, O'Hara HM, Chen H, Arcury TA. Migrant Farmworker Nutritional Strategies: Implications for Diabetes Management. J Agromedicine 2019; 23:347-354. [PMID: 30230432 DOI: 10.1080/1059924x.2018.1501453] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Diabetes is a chronic disease prevalent in Hispanic/Latino adults, including migrant farmworkers in the US. Its management requires that individuals follow dietary guidelines, which may be difficult for migrant farmworkers due to work and environmental constraints. This analysis is designed to explore potential barriers to and supports for migrant farmworkers' practice of effective dietary self-management. METHODS Interviews were conducted with 200 Latino migrant farmworkers in North Carolina, including workers with and without diabetes, recruited at housing sites throughout the 2017 agricultural season. The survey instrument included questions designed to elucidate how workers obtain food, prepare and consume food, and maintain food security. RESULTS Most purchased food is obtained once per week at large grocery stores, with most farmworkers depending on others for transportation. Less than 1 in 5 supplement with garden produce and food from food pantries, farmers markets, and hunting and fishing. About half of lunches and a quarter of dinners are purchased from vendors or other commercial sources. More than 2 in 5 workers report they have to compromise on or lack control of meal content. About 1 in 5 report issues with food security. CONCLUSIONS The food-related practices of farmworkers would require change to accommodate effective dietary self-management of diabetes. Greater use of sources of fresh produce and other nutrient-dense foods, coupled with greater control over meal content and cooking techniques would be needed. While some accommodations could be encouraged through education, others would require policy change in housing or access to community resources.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara A Quandt
- a Department of Epidemiology and Prevention, Division of Public Health Sciences , Wake Forest School of Medicine , Winston-Salem , NC , USA.,b Center for Worker Health , Wake Forest School of Medicine , Winston-Salem , NC , USA
| | - Augusta Groeschel-Johnson
- a Department of Epidemiology and Prevention, Division of Public Health Sciences , Wake Forest School of Medicine , Winston-Salem , NC , USA.,c Anthropology Department , Lawrence University , Appleton , Wisconsin , USA
| | - Hannah T Kinzer
- a Department of Epidemiology and Prevention, Division of Public Health Sciences , Wake Forest School of Medicine , Winston-Salem , NC , USA.,c Anthropology Department , Lawrence University , Appleton , Wisconsin , USA
| | - Anna Jensen
- d North Carolina Farmworkers Project , Benson , NC , USA
| | - Kenya Miles
- e Department of Family and Community Medicine , Meharry Medical College , Nashville , TN , USA
| | - Heather M O'Hara
- e Department of Family and Community Medicine , Meharry Medical College , Nashville , TN , USA
| | - Haiying Chen
- f Department of Biostatistical Science, Division of Public Health Sciences , Wake Forest School of Medicine , Winston-Salem , NC , USA
| | - Thomas A Arcury
- b Center for Worker Health , Wake Forest School of Medicine , Winston-Salem , NC , USA.,g Department of Family and Community Medicine , Wake Forest School of Medicine , Winston-Salem , NC , USA
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Gross RS, Mendelsohn AL, Arana MM, Messito MJ. Food Insecurity During Pregnancy and Breastfeeding by Low-Income Hispanic Mothers. Pediatrics 2019; 143:e20184113. [PMID: 31088893 PMCID: PMC6564052 DOI: 10.1542/peds.2018-4113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/26/2019] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Pregnancy, infancy, and toddlerhood are sensitive times in which families are particularly vulnerable to household food insecurity and when disparities in child obesity emerge. Understanding obesity-promoting infant-feeding beliefs, styles, and practices in the context of food insecurity could better inform both food insecurity and child obesity prevention interventions and policy guidelines. METHODS We performed purposive sampling of low-income Hispanic mothers (n = 100) with infants in the first 2 years of life, all of whom were participants in a randomized controlled trial of an early child obesity prevention intervention called the Starting Early Program. Bilingual English-Spanish interviewers conducted semistructured qualitative interviews, which were audio recorded, transcribed, and translated. By using the constant comparative method, transcripts were coded through an iterative process of textual analysis until thematic saturation was reached. RESULTS Three key themes emerged: (1) contributors to financial strain included difficulty meeting basic needs, job instability, and high vulnerability specific to pregnancy, infancy, and immigration status; (2) effects on infant feeding included decreased breastfeeding due to perceived poor maternal diet, high stress, and limiting of healthy foods; and (3) coping strategies included both home- and community-level strategies. CONCLUSIONS Stakeholders in programs and policies to prevent poverty-related disparities in child obesity should consider and address the broader context by which food insecurity is associated with contributing beliefs, styles, and practices. Potential strategies include addressing misconceptions about maternal diet and breast milk adequacy, stress management, building social support networks, and connecting to supplemental nutrition assistance programs.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Alan L Mendelsohn
- Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics, Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, New York University, New York, New York
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Cordeiro LS, Sibeko L, Nelson-Peterman J. Healthful, Cultural Foods and Safety Net Use Among Cambodian and Brazilian Immigrant Communities in Massachusetts. J Immigr Minor Health 2019; 20:991-999. [PMID: 28608262 DOI: 10.1007/s10903-017-0607-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Declining health and food security status among low-income immigrants in the U.S. may result from limited access to healthful, cultural foods and safety net programs. We held focus group discussions with low-income Cambodian and Brazilian immigrants (11 groups, n = 84) living in Massachusetts. Cambodians and Brazilians valued healthful, cultural foods, emphasizing their beliefs that cultural foods are healthier and beneficial for weight management and aging. Although both groups could access these foods, some individuals had difficulty affording them. Cambodians reported that food quality decreased over the month due to inadequate resources. Cambodians relied on SNAP, WIC, families, and food pantries; however, Brazilians generally did not participate in safety net programs. Barriers to accessing and using safety nets appear to limit diet quality for some immigrant families. Targeted nutrition interventions should build on current knowledge of and desire for healthful, cultural foods in the context of available safety nets.
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Affiliation(s)
- L S Cordeiro
- 210B Chenoweth Laboratory, Department of Nutrition, School of Public Health and Health Sciences, University of Massachusetts Amherst, 100 Holdsworth Way, Amherst, MA, 01003, USA.
| | - L Sibeko
- 204 Chenoweth Lab, Department of Nutrition, School of Public Health and Health Sciences, University of Massachusetts Amherst, 100 Holdsworth Way, Amherst, MA, 01003, USA
| | - J Nelson-Peterman
- Department of Food and Nutrition, Framingham State University, 239A Hemenway Hall, 100 State Street, Framingham, MA, 01701, USA
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Potochnick S, Perreira KM, Bravin JI, Castañeda SF, Daviglus ML, Gallo LC, Isasi CR. Food Insecurity Among Hispanic/Latino Youth: Who Is at Risk and What Are the Health Correlates? J Adolesc Health 2019; 64:631-639. [PMID: 30711363 PMCID: PMC6492618 DOI: 10.1016/j.jadohealth.2018.10.302] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2018] [Revised: 10/24/2018] [Accepted: 10/26/2018] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE We examined the correlates and health implications of household food insecurity among Hispanic/Latino youth (aged 8-16 years), a high food insecurity-risk population. METHODS Using the Hispanic Community Children's Health/Study of Latino Youth (n = 1,362) and bivariate and multivariate analyses, we examined the correlates of household and child food insecurity and very low food security. We assessed the influence of four sets of risk/protective factors-child demographic, acculturation, socioeconomic, and family/social support. We then examined associations between food insecurity and four health indicators-body mass index, diet quality, depression, and anxiety-and used modification effects to assess whether these associations differed by sex, age, household income, parent nativity, and acculturative stress levels. RESULTS We found high rates of food insecurity: 42% of Hispanic/Latino youth experienced household food insecurity and 33% child food insecurity. Moreover, 10% lived in a very low food secure household. Compared with their food secure peers, Hispanic/Latino youth in food insecure households experienced greater parent/child acculturative and economic stress and weakened family support systems. Associations of food insecurity with health outcomes varied by sex, age, household income, parent nativity, and child acculturative stress levels. CONCLUSIONS Food insecurity is highly prevalent among Hispanic/Latino youth and has detrimental health implications, especially for girls, older youth, and youth experiencing acculturative stress. Reducing food insecurity and improving health among Hispanic/Latino youth will likely require comprehensive policies that address their multiple migration, familial, and economic stressors.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Krista M Perreira
- Department of Social Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina.
| | - Julia I Bravin
- Department of Psychology, San Diego State University, San Diego, California
| | - Sheila F Castañeda
- Health Promotion and Behavioral Sciences, San Diego State University, San Diego, California
| | - Martha L Daviglus
- Institute for Minority Health Research, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Linda C Gallo
- Health Promotion and Behavioral Sciences, San Diego State University, San Diego, California
| | - Carmen R Isasi
- Epidemiology and Population Health, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York
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Miller AL, Miller SE, Clark KM. Child, Caregiver, Family, and Social-Contextual Factors to Consider when Implementing Parent-Focused Child Feeding Interventions. Curr Nutr Rep 2018; 7:303-309. [PMID: 30353367 PMCID: PMC6237637 DOI: 10.1007/s13668-018-0255-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW Interventions that aim to alter child eating behaviors often focus on parents as a proximal influence. Yet, parents can be difficult to engage. Therefore, intervention recommendations are often not implemented as designed. The goal of this review is to highlight factors at multiple contextual levels that are important to consider when developing interventions to address child eating, due to their implications for overcoming parent engagement challenges. RECENT FINDINGS Intervention studies suggest that parents are often the key to successfully changing child eating behaviors, and many interventions focus on feeding. Factors such as child eating phenotypes, parent stress, family system dynamics, and sociodemographic constraints have also been identified as shaping food parenting. Challenges at multiple contextual levels can affect the likelihood of parent engagement. Addressing factors at the child-, parent-, family-, and broader social-contextual levels of influence is essential in order to promote best practices for parent-focused feeding interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alison L Miller
- Department of Health Behavior and Health Education, University of Michigan School of Public Health, 1415 Washington Heights, SPH-I, Room 3718, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109-2029, USA.
| | - Sara E Miller
- Department of Health Behavior and Health Education, University of Michigan School of Public Health, 1415 Washington Heights, SPH-I, Room 3718, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109-2029, USA
| | - Katy M Clark
- Department of Health Behavior and Health Education, University of Michigan School of Public Health, 1415 Washington Heights, SPH-I, Room 3718, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109-2029, USA
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Food Security Experiences of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Families with Young Children in An Urban Setting: Influencing Factors and Coping Strategies. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2018; 15:ijerph15122649. [PMID: 30486277 PMCID: PMC6313734 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph15122649] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2018] [Revised: 11/09/2018] [Accepted: 11/21/2018] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Evidence on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples’ food security experiences and coping strategies used when food insecurity occurs is limited. Such evidence is important to inform policies that can reduce the consequences of food insecurity. This study investigated factors perceived by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families with young children to influence household food security, and coping strategies used, in an urban setting. A qualitative research inductive approach was used. Data were collected through an iterative process of inquiry through initial interviews with 30 primary care-givers, followed by in-depth interviews with six participants to further explore emerging themes. Major topics explored were: influencing factors, food insecurity experiences, impact on food selection, and coping strategies. Food affordability relating to income and living expenses was a major barrier to a healthy diet with large household bills impacting food choice and meal quality. Access to family support was the main reported coping strategy. Food insecurity is experienced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families, it is largely intermittent occurring especially when large household bills are due for payment. Family support provides an essential safety net and the implications of this are important to consider in public policy to address food insecurity.
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The Experience of Food Insecurity Among Immigrants: a Scoping Review. JOURNAL OF INTERNATIONAL MIGRATION AND INTEGRATION 2018. [DOI: 10.1007/s12134-018-0613-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
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Arteaga I, Potochnick S, Parsons S. Decomposing the Household Food Insecurity Gap for Children of U.S.-Born and Foreign-Born Hispanics: Evidence from 1998 to 2011. J Immigr Minor Health 2018; 19:1050-1058. [PMID: 28289953 DOI: 10.1007/s10903-017-0561-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Using the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study-K, multivariate analysis, state fixed effects, and regression decomposition, we examine changes in food insecurity for Hispanic kindergarteners between 1998 and 2011, a time period of rapid immigration and political/socio-economic changes. During this time the household food insecurity gap between children of U.S.-born and foreign-born mothers increased by almost 7 percentage points. The factors-child, family, and state-that contributed to the nativity gap differed over time. In both periods, lower familial resources among immigrant families, i.e. endowment effects, contributed to the gap; this was the main component of the gap in 2011 but only one component in 1998. In 1998, heterogeneity in state effects was positively associated with the nativity food insecurity gap. This means that children of foreign-born mothers experience higher household food insecurity than do children of U.S.-born mothers in the same state, even after controlling for child and family characteristics. In 2011, almost half of the gap remained unexplained. This unexplained portion could be driven by differential effects of the Great Recession, growing anti-immigrant sentiment, and/or the relatively large share of unauthorized immigrants in 2011.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irma Arteaga
- Harry S Truman School of Public Affairs, University of Missouri, 229 Middlebush Hall, Columbia, MO, 65211, USA.
| | - Stephanie Potochnick
- Harry S Truman School of Public Affairs, University of Missouri, 229 Middlebush Hall, Columbia, MO, 65211, USA
| | - Sarah Parsons
- Harry S Truman School of Public Affairs, University of Missouri, 229 Middlebush Hall, Columbia, MO, 65211, USA
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Quandt SA, Trejo G, Suerken CK, Pulgar CA, Ip EH, Arcury TA. Diet Quality among Preschool-Age Children of Latino Migrant and Seasonal Farmworkers in the United States. J Immigr Minor Health 2017; 18:505-512. [PMID: 26514151 DOI: 10.1007/s10903-015-0304-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
Dietary quality has been linked to obesity in children. Obesity among children of farmworker families exceeds that of other US Hispanic children. Knowledge of their dietary quality is needed to understand the origins and prevention of this obesity. Mothers (n = 237) of 3-year old children in farmworker families completed 3 24-hour recalls with trained interviewers using the Nutrition Data System for Research (NDS-R). Output was used to calculate total and component scores of the Revised Children's Diet Quality Index (RC-DQI). Mean total score was 62 (range 36-86) of an optimal score of 90. Scores for total fat, total grains, excess juice and iron were >80 % of the optimum, but scores for added sugar, whole grains, fruits, and vegetables were considerably lower. Children in farmworker families have low overall dietary quality. Intervention targeted to specific food issues may be an efficient way to addressing the problem.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara A Quandt
- Division of Public Health Sciences, Department of Epidemiology and Prevention, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Medical Center Boulevard, Winston-Salem, NC, 27157, USA.
| | - Grisel Trejo
- Division of Public Health Sciences, Department of Epidemiology and Prevention, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Medical Center Boulevard, Winston-Salem, NC, 27157, USA
| | - Cynthia K Suerken
- Division of Public Health Sciences, Department of Biostatistical Sciences, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, 27157, USA
| | - Camila A Pulgar
- Division of Public Health Sciences, Department of Epidemiology and Prevention, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Medical Center Boulevard, Winston-Salem, NC, 27157, USA
| | - Edward H Ip
- Division of Public Health Sciences, Department of Biostatistical Sciences, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, 27157, USA
| | - Thomas A Arcury
- Department of Family and Community Medicine, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, 27157, USA
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Greenwald HP, Zajfen V. Food Insecurity and Food Resource Utilization in an Urban Immigrant Community. J Immigr Minor Health 2017; 19:179-186. [PMID: 26691739 DOI: 10.1007/s10903-015-0331-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
Risk and prevalence of food insecurity and use of food security resources are important but incompletely understood factors in immigrant health. Key informant interviews and a survey (N = 809) of housing units were conducted in a San Diego, California neighborhood with a high proportion of immigrant and low income families. The difference in food insecurity between immigrant and non-immigrant households was non-significant (20.1 vs. 15.7 %, p = n.s.), though immigrant families were more likely to use food security resources such as SNAP (32.7 vs. 22.9 %, p < .01) and food pantries (28.2 vs. 19.7 %, p < .001). Among immigrants, neither national origin nor years in the United States predicted food insecurity or use of most food security resources. In immigrant families, food insecurity often remains a challenge long after immigration, suggesting a potentially increasing need for food security resources as immigration into the United States continues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Howard P Greenwald
- Sol Price School of Public Policy, University of Southern California, 650 Childs Way, Los Angeles, CA, 90089, USA.
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Walsemann KM, Ro A, Gee GC. Trends in food insecurity among California residents from 2001 to 2011: Inequities at the intersection of immigration status and ethnicity. Prev Med 2017; 105:142-148. [PMID: 28911952 DOI: 10.1016/j.ypmed.2017.09.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2017] [Revised: 08/01/2017] [Accepted: 09/04/2017] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
Although immigrants are healthier than non-immigrants on numerous outcomes, the reverse appears to be true with regards to food insecurity. Most studies ignore heterogeneity in the risk for food insecurity within immigration status and by ethnicity, even though significant variation likely exists. We consider how immigration status and ethnicity are related to trends in food insecurity among Latinos and Asians in California from 2001 through 2011. Data come from the 2001 to 2011 restricted California Health Interview Survey (n=245,679). We categorized Latinos and Asians as US-born, naturalized/legal permanent residents (naturalized/LPR), and non-LPRs (students, temporary workers, refugees, and undocumented persons). Multivariable weighted logistic regression analyses assessed temporal trends over the 10-year period after adjustment for demographics, socioeconomic characteristics, and program participation. Across this period, US-born Asians reported similar levels of food insecurity as US-born Whites. Conversely, Latinos, regardless of immigration status or nativity, and Asian immigrants (i.e., naturalized/LPR and non-LPR) reported greater food insecurity than US-born Whites. Further, from 2001 through 2009, non-LPR Latinos reported higher risk of food insecurity than naturalized/LPR Latinos. Thus, food insecurity differs between ethnic groups, but also differs within ethnic group by immigration status. Efforts to reduce food insecurity should consider the additional barriers to access that are faced by immigrants, particularly those without legal permanent residency.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katrina M Walsemann
- University of South Carolina, Department of Health Promotion, Education, and Behavior, 915 Greene Street, Room 539, Columbia, SC 29204, USA.
| | - Annie Ro
- University of California, Irvine, Program in Public Health, 653 E. Peltason Drive 2036, Anteater Instruction and Research Building (AIRB), Irvine, CA 92697, USA.
| | - Gilbert C Gee
- University of California, Los Angeles, Department of Community Health Sciences, 650 Charles E. Young Drive South, Room 46-081c, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA.
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Myers AM, Painter MA. Food insecurity in the United States of America: an examination of race/ethnicity and nativity. Food Secur 2017. [DOI: 10.1007/s12571-017-0733-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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Healthful, Cultural Foods and Safety Net Use Among Cambodian and Brazilian Immigrant Communities in Massachusetts. J Immigr Minor Health 2017. [DOI: 10.1007/s10903-017-0607-3 [doi]] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/29/2022]
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Grzywacz JG, Arcury TA, Trejo G, Quandt SA. Latino Mothers in Farmworker Families' Beliefs About Preschool Children's Physical Activity and Play. J Immigr Minor Health 2017; 18:234-42. [PMID: 24522435 DOI: 10.1007/s10903-014-9990-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Document beliefs about the contribution of physical activity to preschool-aged children's health held by Latino mothers in farmworker families, and delineate their perceived barriers or constraints that impose limits on preschool-aged children's physical activity. Qualitative data obtained through semi-structured in-depth interviews (N = 33) with mothers of preschool-aged children living in Latino farmworker families in North Carolina. Mothers universally agree that regular vigorous physical activity is good for preschool-aged children's health, including obesity prevention. However, excessive physical activity can produce illnesses, as well as other physical and emotional problems, and should be limited. Mothers wanted their children to engage in more sedentary forms of activity because they believed it would benefit learning. Physical and chemical hazards in rural environments, distance to parks and play spaces, and lack of familiarity and concerns about neighbors constrained children's physical activity. Although physical activity is believed to be beneficial, strong cultural beliefs and real contextual barriers undermine preschool-aged Latino farmworker children's level of physical activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph G Grzywacz
- Department of Human Development and Family Science, Oklahoma State University, 700 N. Greenwood Avenue, Tulsa, OK, 74106, USA.
| | - Thomas A Arcury
- Department of Family and Community Medicine, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, 27157, USA
| | - Grisel Trejo
- Department of Epidemiology and Prevention, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, 27157, USA
| | - Sara A Quandt
- Department of Epidemiology and Prevention, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, 27157, USA
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More than Just Not Enough: Experiences of Food Insecurity for Latino Immigrants. J Immigr Minor Health 2017; 17:1548-56. [PMID: 25376127 DOI: 10.1007/s10903-014-0124-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
Undocumented Latino immigrants often struggle to provide food for their families. In an attempt to inform efforts to create effective programs and policies promoting food security, this study explored the experience of food insecurity for low-income, undocumented Latino immigrants. In-depth qualitative interviews were conducted with 24 undocumented Latino immigrants. Modified grounded theory was used to analyze the interview data. The experience of food insecurity was similar to other groups' experiences, as it entailed inadequate amount and quality of food. However, immigration and documentation status presented unique vulnerabilities for food insecurity related to unfamiliar food environments, remittances and separation, employment, and community and government resources. Cultural and structural factors that may shape the experience of and response to food insecurity are discussed along with implications for policy and programming.
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Abstract
OBJECTIVES The literature exploring the relationship between food insecurity and obesity for preschool-aged children is inconclusive and suffers from inconsistent measurement. This paper explores the relationships between concurrent household and child food insecurity and child overweight as well as differences in these relationships by child gender using a sample of 2-5 year old children. METHODS Using measured height and weight and responses to the Household Food Security Survey Module collected from a sample of 438 preschool-aged children (mean age 39 months) and their mothers, logistic regression models were fit to estimate the relationship between household and child food insecurity and child BMI. Separate models were fit for girls and boys. RESULTS Twenty-seven percent of children from food insecure households and 25 % of child food insecure children were overweight or obese (BMI ≥ 85 %). There were no statistically significant associations between either household or child food insecurity and BMI for the full sample. For girls, but not boys, household food insecurity was associated with BMI z-scores (β = 0.23, p = 0.01). CONCLUSIONS Although food insecurity and overweight were not significantly associated, a noteworthy proportion of food insecure children were overweight or obese. Programs for young children should address food insecurity and obesity simultaneously by ensuring that young children have regular access to nutrient-dense foods.
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Gany F, Lee T, Loeb R, Ramirez J, Moran A, Crist M, McNish T, Leng JCF. Use of Hospital-Based Food Pantries Among Low-Income Urban Cancer Patients. J Community Health 2016; 40:1193-200. [PMID: 26070869 DOI: 10.1007/s10900-015-0048-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
To examine uptake of a novel emergency food system at five cancer clinics in New York City, hospital-based food pantries, and predictors of use, among low-income urban cancer patients. This is a nested cohort study of 351 patients who first visited the food pantries between October 3, 2011 and January 1, 2013. The main outcome was continued uptake of this food pantry intervention. Generalized estimating equation (GEE) statistical analysis was conducted to model predictors of pantry visit frequency. The median number of return visits in the 4 month period after a patient's initial visit was 2 and the mean was 3.25 (SD 3.07). The GEE model showed that younger patients used the pantry less, immigrant patients used the pantry more (than US-born), and prostate cancer and Stage IV cancer patients used the pantry more. Future long-term larger scale studies are needed to further assess the utilization, as well as the impact of food assistance programs such as the this one, on nutritional outcomes, cancer outcomes, comorbidities, and quality of life. Cancer patients most at risk should be taken into particular consideration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesca Gany
- Immigrant Health and Cancer Disparities Service, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA.,Department of Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA.,Department of Healthcare Policy and Research, Weill Cornell Medical College, 485 Lexington Avenue, 2nd Floor, New York, NY, 10017, USA.,Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY, USA
| | - Trevor Lee
- Immigrant Health and Cancer Disparities Service, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Rebecca Loeb
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Julia Ramirez
- Immigrant Health and Cancer Disparities Service, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Alyssa Moran
- New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, New York, NY, USA
| | - Michael Crist
- New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Thelma McNish
- Immigrant Health and Cancer Disparities Service, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Jennifer C F Leng
- Immigrant Health and Cancer Disparities Service, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA. .,Department of Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA. .,Department of Healthcare Policy and Research, Weill Cornell Medical College, 485 Lexington Avenue, 2nd Floor, New York, NY, 10017, USA.
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Pulgar CA, Trejo G, Suerken C, Ip EH, Arcury TA, Quandt SA. Economic Hardship and Depression Among Women in Latino Farmworker Families. J Immigr Minor Health 2016; 18:497-504. [PMID: 26022147 PMCID: PMC4663186 DOI: 10.1007/s10903-015-0229-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Farmworker family members risk poor mental health due to stressors including poverty, relocation, and documentation status. This paper explores the relationship between farm-work related stressors and depressive symptoms in women of Latino farmworker families. 248 mothers of young children completed fixed-response interviews in Spanish. Measures included the Center for Epidemiologic Studies-Depression Scale, Migrant Farmworker Stress Inventory, and USDA Household Food Security Survey Module. Bivariate analyses indicated greater depressive symptoms with more economic hardship, more farm work-related stressors, greater age, and being unmarried. In multivariable logistic regression, economic hardship remained the only factor associated with depressive symptoms. Greater economic hardship, but not general farm work-related stress, is a main factor associated with depression in women of Latino farmworker families. Maternal depression can have consequences for both mothers and families. Mental health services for women in farmworker families should be targeted to those with the greatest economic challenges.
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Affiliation(s)
- Camila A Pulgar
- Division of Public Health Sciences, Department of Epidemiology and Prevention, Medical Center Boulevard, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, 27157, USA
| | - Grisel Trejo
- Division of Public Health Sciences, Department of Epidemiology and Prevention, Medical Center Boulevard, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, 27157, USA
| | - Cynthia Suerken
- Division of Public Health Sciences, Department of Biostatistical Sciences, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, 27157, USA
| | - Edward H Ip
- Division of Public Health Sciences, Department of Biostatistical Sciences, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, 27157, USA
| | - Thomas A Arcury
- Department of Family and Community Medicine, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, 27157, USA
| | - Sara A Quandt
- Division of Public Health Sciences, Department of Epidemiology and Prevention, Medical Center Boulevard, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, 27157, USA.
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Liese AD, Draper CL, Martini L, Bell BA, Freedman DA, Burke MP, Younginer N, Blake CE, Probst JC, Jones SJ. Recruitment Strategies and Participation in a Study of Childhood Hunger. JOURNAL OF HUNGER & ENVIRONMENTAL NUTRITION 2016. [DOI: 10.1080/19320248.2015.1112760] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Angela D. Liese
- Center for Research in Nutrition and Health Disparities, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina, USA
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina, USA
| | - Carrie L. Draper
- Center for Research in Nutrition and Health Disparities, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina, USA
| | - Lauren Martini
- Center for Research in Nutrition and Health Disparities, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina, USA
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina, USA
| | - Bethany A. Bell
- Center for Research in Nutrition and Health Disparities, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina, USA
- Educational Psychology and Research Program, College of Education, University of South Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina, USA
| | - Darcy A. Freedman
- Center for Research in Nutrition and Health Disparities, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina, USA
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
| | - Michael P. Burke
- U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Service, Alexandria, Virginia, USA
| | - Nicholas Younginer
- Center for Research in Nutrition and Health Disparities, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina, USA
- Department of Health Promotion, Education, and Behavior, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina, USA
| | - Christine E. Blake
- Center for Research in Nutrition and Health Disparities, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina, USA
- Department of Health Promotion, Education, and Behavior, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina, USA
| | - Janice C. Probst
- Center for Research in Nutrition and Health Disparities, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina, USA
- South Carolina Rural Health Research Center, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina, USA
| | - Sonya J. Jones
- Center for Research in Nutrition and Health Disparities, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina, USA
- Department of Health Promotion, Education, and Behavior, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina, USA
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Motherhood and the "Madness of Hunger": "...Want Almal Vra vir My vir 'n Stukkie Brood" ("...Because Everyone Asks Me for a Little Piece of Bread"). Cult Med Psychiatry 2016; 40:124-43. [PMID: 26537601 DOI: 10.1007/s11013-015-9480-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
It is widely assumed that the social and economic conditions of poverty can be linked to common mental disorders in low-, middle- and high-income countries. Despite the considerable increase in quantitative studies investigating the link between poverty and mental health, the nature of the connection between poverty and emotional well-being/distress is still not fully comprehended. In this qualitative study, exploring how one group of Coloured South African women, diagnosed with depression and residing in a semi-rural low-income South African community, subjectively understand and experience their emotional distress, data was collected by means of in-depth semi-structured interviews and social constructionist grounded theory was used to analyse the data. We will attempt to show (1) that the depressed women in this group of respondents frequently refer to the emotional distress caused by hungry children and (2) that the emotional distress described by the respondents included emotions typically associated with depression (such as sadness, hopelessness and guilt), but also included emotions not necessarily associated with depression (such as anxiety, anger and anomie). In our attempt to understand (both psychologically and politically) the complex emotional response of mothers to their children's hunger, we argue that powerful gender and neo-liberal discourses within which mothers are interpellated to care for children, and more specifically, to make sure that children are not hungry, mean that the mothers of hungry children felt that they were not fulfilling their responsibilities and thus felt guilty and ashamed. This shame seemed, in turn, to lead to anger and/or anomie, informing acting out behaviours ranging from verbal and physical aggression to passive withdrawal. A vicious cycle of hunger, sadness and anxiety, shame, anger and anomie, aggression and withdrawal, negative judgement, and more shame, are thus maintained. As such, the unbearable rebukes of hungry children can be thought of as evoking a kind of "madness" in low-income mothers.
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Becerra BJ, Sis-Medina RC, Reyes A, Becerra MB. Association Between Food Insecurity and Serious Psychological Distress Among Hispanic Adults Living in Poverty. Prev Chronic Dis 2015; 12:E206. [PMID: 26605706 PMCID: PMC4674446 DOI: 10.5888/pcd12.150334] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction Food insecurity has been associated with negative health outcomes, but the relationship between psychological distress and food insecurity among ethnic minorities has not been extensively examined in the literature. The goal of this study was to evaluate whether low food security and very low food security were significantly associated with past month serious psychological distress (SPD) among Hispanic adults living in poverty. Methods We studied 10,966 Hispanic respondents to the California Health Interview Survey for 2007, 2009, and 2011–2012 whose income was below 200% of the federal poverty level. The relationship between food insecurity and SPD was evaluated by using survey-weighted univariate and logistic regression analyses. Results Nearly 30% of the study population had low food security and 13% had very low food security. Low food security and very low food security were associated with 1.99 and 4.43 odds of past month SPD, respectively, and perceived low neighborhood safety was related to 1.47 odds of past month SPD. Conclusions We found that food insecurity was prevalent among Hispanic people living in poverty and was significantly associated with past month SPD. These results demonstrate the need for further targeted public health efforts, such as community gardens led by promotores, faith-based initiatives, and initiatives to reduce barriers to participation in food-assistance programs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin J Becerra
- School of Allied Health Professions, Loma Linda University, 24951 N. Circle Dr, Loma Linda, CA 92350.
| | | | - Alexa Reyes
- Department of Health Science and Human Ecology, California State University, San Bernardino, California
| | - Monideepa B Becerra
- Department of Health Science and Human Ecology, California State University, San Bernardino, California
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Ip EH, Saldana S, Arcury TA, Grzywacz JG, Trejo G, Quandt SA. Profiles of Food Security for US Farmworker Households and Factors Related to Dynamic of Change. Am J Public Health 2015; 105:e42-7. [PMID: 26270304 DOI: 10.2105/ajph.2015.302752] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES We recruited 248 farmworker families with preschool-aged children in North Carolina and examined food security indicators over 24 months to identify food security patterns and examine the dynamic of change over time. METHODS Participants in the Niños Sanos study, conducted 2011 to 2014, completed quarterly food security assessments. Based on responses to items in the US Household Food Security Survey Module, we identified different states of food security by using hidden Markov model analysis, and examined factors associated with different states. We delineated factors associated with changes in state by using mixed-effect ordinal logistic regression. RESULTS About half of the households (51%) consistently stayed in the most food-secure state. The least food-secure state was transient, with only 29% probability of this state for 2 consecutive quarters. Seasonal (vs migrant) work status, having immigration documents (vs not documented), and season predicted higher levels of food security. CONCLUSIONS Heterogeneity in food security among farmworker households calls for tailoring intervention strategies. The transiency and unpredictability of low food security suggest that access to safety-net programs could reduce low food security risk in this population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edward H Ip
- Edward H. Ip and Santiago Saldana are with the Department of Biostatistical Sciences, Division of Public Health Sciences, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC. Thomas A. Arcury is with the Department of Family and Community Medicine, Wake Forest School of Medicine. Joseph G. Grzywacz is with the Department of Human Development and Family Science, Oklahoma State University, Tulsa. Grisel Trejo and Sara A. Quandt are with the Department of Epidemiology and Prevention, Division of Public Health Sciences, Wake Forest School of Medicine. Thomas A. Arcury and Sara A. Quandt are also with the Center for Worker Health, Wake Forest School of Medicine
| | - Santiago Saldana
- Edward H. Ip and Santiago Saldana are with the Department of Biostatistical Sciences, Division of Public Health Sciences, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC. Thomas A. Arcury is with the Department of Family and Community Medicine, Wake Forest School of Medicine. Joseph G. Grzywacz is with the Department of Human Development and Family Science, Oklahoma State University, Tulsa. Grisel Trejo and Sara A. Quandt are with the Department of Epidemiology and Prevention, Division of Public Health Sciences, Wake Forest School of Medicine. Thomas A. Arcury and Sara A. Quandt are also with the Center for Worker Health, Wake Forest School of Medicine
| | - Thomas A Arcury
- Edward H. Ip and Santiago Saldana are with the Department of Biostatistical Sciences, Division of Public Health Sciences, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC. Thomas A. Arcury is with the Department of Family and Community Medicine, Wake Forest School of Medicine. Joseph G. Grzywacz is with the Department of Human Development and Family Science, Oklahoma State University, Tulsa. Grisel Trejo and Sara A. Quandt are with the Department of Epidemiology and Prevention, Division of Public Health Sciences, Wake Forest School of Medicine. Thomas A. Arcury and Sara A. Quandt are also with the Center for Worker Health, Wake Forest School of Medicine
| | - Joseph G Grzywacz
- Edward H. Ip and Santiago Saldana are with the Department of Biostatistical Sciences, Division of Public Health Sciences, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC. Thomas A. Arcury is with the Department of Family and Community Medicine, Wake Forest School of Medicine. Joseph G. Grzywacz is with the Department of Human Development and Family Science, Oklahoma State University, Tulsa. Grisel Trejo and Sara A. Quandt are with the Department of Epidemiology and Prevention, Division of Public Health Sciences, Wake Forest School of Medicine. Thomas A. Arcury and Sara A. Quandt are also with the Center for Worker Health, Wake Forest School of Medicine
| | - Grisel Trejo
- Edward H. Ip and Santiago Saldana are with the Department of Biostatistical Sciences, Division of Public Health Sciences, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC. Thomas A. Arcury is with the Department of Family and Community Medicine, Wake Forest School of Medicine. Joseph G. Grzywacz is with the Department of Human Development and Family Science, Oklahoma State University, Tulsa. Grisel Trejo and Sara A. Quandt are with the Department of Epidemiology and Prevention, Division of Public Health Sciences, Wake Forest School of Medicine. Thomas A. Arcury and Sara A. Quandt are also with the Center for Worker Health, Wake Forest School of Medicine
| | - Sara A Quandt
- Edward H. Ip and Santiago Saldana are with the Department of Biostatistical Sciences, Division of Public Health Sciences, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC. Thomas A. Arcury is with the Department of Family and Community Medicine, Wake Forest School of Medicine. Joseph G. Grzywacz is with the Department of Human Development and Family Science, Oklahoma State University, Tulsa. Grisel Trejo and Sara A. Quandt are with the Department of Epidemiology and Prevention, Division of Public Health Sciences, Wake Forest School of Medicine. Thomas A. Arcury and Sara A. Quandt are also with the Center for Worker Health, Wake Forest School of Medicine
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Freedman MR, Hollenbeck CB, Contreras-Pena G. Hispanic Adults Attending English as a Second Language (ESL) Classes at an Adult School Are Food Insecure. JOURNAL OF HUNGER & ENVIRONMENTAL NUTRITION 2015. [DOI: 10.1080/19320248.2015.1004219] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
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Lyles CR, Nord M, Chou J, Kwan CML, Seligman HK. The San Francisco Chinese Food Security Module: Validation of a Translation of the US Household Food Security Survey Module. JOURNAL OF HUNGER & ENVIRONMENTAL NUTRITION 2015. [DOI: 10.1080/19320248.2014.962776] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
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Kiehne E, Mendoza NS. Migrant and Seasonal Farmworker Food Insecurity: Prevalence, Impact, Risk Factors, and Coping Strategies. SOCIAL WORK IN PUBLIC HEALTH 2015; 30:397-409. [PMID: 25923396 DOI: 10.1080/19371918.2015.1019173] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
In the United States, nearly 15% of the general population is considered food insecure; ethnic minorities, particularly Latinos, experience disproportionately higher rates. Food insecurity is particularly endemic among the migrant and seasonal farmworker population. This article systematically reviews current knowledge related to the prevalence of food insecurity among migrant and seasonal farmworkers. The impact, risk factors, and coping strategies of food insecurity are also presented. The authors argue for targeted social work efforts at mezzo- and macrolevels and make recommendations aimed at the prevention and amelioration of food insecurity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth Kiehne
- a College of Public Service & Community Solutions, Arizona State University , Phoenix , Arizona , USA
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Carney MA. Eating and Feeding at the Margins of the State: Barriers to Health Care for Undocumented Migrant Women and the "Clinical" Aspects of Food Assistance. Med Anthropol Q 2015; 29:196-215. [PMID: 25715903 DOI: 10.1111/maq.12151] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
In this article, I examine the various meanings of Mexican and Central American migrant women's utilization of private food assistance programs. I present findings from 20 months of ethnographic fieldwork conducted between 2008 and 2011 with migrant women, public health workers, and staff and volunteers of food assistance programs in Santa Barbara County, California. I discuss the barriers undocumented women face in accessing formal health care and the social and moral obligations that underpin these women's role in feeding others. I also document the ways in which private food assistance programs are orienting toward a focus on health in service delivery, and how women depend on provisions from these programs to support feeding practices at home. I argue that these findings are significant for current engagement by critical medical anthropologists in studying framings of "the clinic" and cultural beliefs about "deservingness."
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Affiliation(s)
- Megan A Carney
- Department of Anthropology, University of Washington, Seattle.
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44
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Anderson L, Hadzibegovic DS, Moseley JM, Sellen DW. Household food insecurity shows associations with food intake, social support utilization and dietary change among refugee adult caregivers resettled in the United States. Ecol Food Nutr 2014; 53:312-32. [PMID: 24735211 DOI: 10.1080/03670244.2013.831762] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
Forced migration puts families at risk of household food insecurity and economic hardship. We administered a questionnaire to examine household food insecurity in a sample of 49 recently legally resettled Sudanese refugees with at least one child under age 3 years. Of households polled, 37% had experienced household food insecurity and 12% reported child hunger within the previous month. Increasing severity of household food insecurity was associated with decreased consumption of high-cost, high-nutrient-density food items and increased consumption of some low-cost traditional Sudanese foods by adult caregivers of young children. Furthermore, household food insecurity was associated with decreased household and per capita food expenditure, indicators of more limited dietary change with migration, and indicators of increased social support.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Anderson
- a Department of Community Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine , University of Calgary , Calgary , Alberta , Canada
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Quandt SA, Grzywacz JG, Trejo G, Arcury TA. Nutritional strategies of Latino farmworker families with preschool children: identifying leverage points for obesity prevention. Soc Sci Med 2014; 123:72-81. [PMID: 25462607 DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2014.10.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2014] [Revised: 10/14/2014] [Accepted: 10/15/2014] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
Obesity and overweight are significant problems for children in the US, particularly for Hispanic children. This paper focuses on the children in families of immigrant Hispanic farmworkers, as farm work is the portal though which many immigrants come to the US. This paper (1) describes a model of the nutritional strategies of child feeding in farmworker families; and (2) uses this model to identify leverage points for efforts to improve the nutritional status of these children. In-depth interviews were conducted in Spanish with 33 mothers of 2-5 year old children in farmworker families recruited in North Carolina in 2010-2011. The purposive sample was balanced by farmworker status (migrant or seasonal), child age, and child gender. Interviews were transcribed and translated. Multiple coders and a team approach to analysis were used. Nutritional strategies centered on domains of procuring food, using food, and maintaining food security. The content of these domains reflected environmental factors (e.g., rural isolation, shared housing), contextual factors (e.g., beliefs about appropriate food, parenting style), and available resources (e.g., income, government programs). Environmental isolation and limited access to resources decrease the amount and diversity of household food supplies. Parental actions (parental sacrifices, reduced dietary variety) attempt to buffer children. Use of government food sources is valuable for eligible families. Leverage points are suggested that would change nutritional strategy components and lower the risk of overweight and obesity. Further prospective research is needed to verify the nutritional strategy identified and to test the ability of leverage points to prevent childhood obesity in this vulnerable population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara A Quandt
- Department of Epidemiology and Prevention, Division of Public Health Sciences, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC 27157, USA.
| | - Joseph G Grzywacz
- Department of Family and Community Medicine, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC 27157, USA; Department of Human Development and Family Science, Oklahoma State University, Tulsa, OK 74106, USA
| | - Grisel Trejo
- Department of Epidemiology and Prevention, Division of Public Health Sciences, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC 27157, USA
| | - Thomas A Arcury
- Department of Family and Community Medicine, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC 27157, USA
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Chaparro MP, Harrison GG, Pebley AR. Individual and Neighborhood Predictors of Participation in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) in Los Angeles County. JOURNAL OF HUNGER & ENVIRONMENTAL NUTRITION 2014. [DOI: 10.1080/19320248.2014.962768] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
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Grauel K, Chambers KJ. Food Deserts and Migrant Farmworkers: Assessing Food Access in Oregon's Willamette Valley. J ETHNOBIOL 2014. [DOI: 10.2993/0278-0771-34.2.228] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
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Sharkey JR, Dean WR, Nalty CC. Child hunger and the protective effects of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and alternative food sources among Mexican-origin families in Texas border colonias. BMC Pediatr 2013; 13:143. [PMID: 24034599 PMCID: PMC3847461 DOI: 10.1186/1471-2431-13-143] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2013] [Accepted: 09/04/2013] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Nutritional health is essential for children's growth and development. Many Mexican-origin children who reside in limited-resource colonias along the Texas-Mexico border are at increased risk for poor nutrition as a result of household food insecurity. However, little is known about the prevalence of child hunger or its associated factors among children of Mexican immigrants. This study determines the prevalence of child hunger and identifies protective and risk factors associated with it in two Texas border areas. METHODS This study uses 2009 Colonia Household and Community Food Resource Assessment (C-HCFRA) data from 470 mothers who were randomly recruited by promotora-researchers. Participants from colonias near two small towns in two South Texas counties participated in an in-home community and household assessment. Interviewer-administered surveys collected data in Spanish on sociodemographics, federal food assistance program participation, and food security status. Frequencies and bivariate correlations were examined while a random-effects logistic regression model with backward elimination was used to determine correlates of childhood hunger. RESULTS Hunger among children was reported in 51% (n = 239) of households in this C-HCFRA sample. Bivariate analyses revealed that hunger status was associated with select maternal characteristics, such as lower educational attainment and Mexican nativity, and household characteristics, including household composition, reliance on friend or neighbor for transportation, food purchase at dollar stores and from neighbors, and participation in school-based nutrition programs. A smaller percentage of households with child hunger participated in school-based nutrition programs (51%) or used alternative food sources, while 131 households were unable to give their child or children a balanced meal during the school year and 145 households during summer months. In the random effects model (RE = small town), increased household composition, full-time unemployment, and participation in the National School Lunch Program were significantly associated with increased odds for child hunger, while participation in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and purchasing food from a neighbor were significantly associated with decreased odds for child hunger. CONCLUSIONS This study not only emphasizes the alarming rates of child hunger among this sample of Mexican-origin families, but also identifies economic and family factors that increased the odds for child hunger as well as community strategies that reduced the odds. It is unsettling that so many children did not participate in school-based nutrition programs, and that many who participated in federal nutrition assistance programs remained hungry. This study underscores the importance of identifying the presence of child hunger among low-income Mexican-origin children in Texas border colonias and increasing access to nutrition-related resources. Hunger-associated health inequities at younger ages among colonia residents are likely to persist across the life span and into old age.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph R Sharkey
- Program for Research and Outreach-Engagement on Nutrition and Health Disparities, Texas A&M School of Rural Public Health, MS 1266, College Station, TX 77843-1266, USA.
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Omidvar N, Ghazi-Tabatabie M, Sadeghi R, Mohammadi F, Abbasi-Shavazi MJ. Food insecurity and its sociodemographic correlates among Afghan immigrants in Iran. JOURNAL OF HEALTH, POPULATION, AND NUTRITION 2013; 31:356-366. [PMID: 24288950 PMCID: PMC3805886 DOI: 10.3329/jhpn.v31i3.16828] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
The study determined the prevalence of food insecurity and its sociodemographic determinants among Afghan immigrants in two major cities of Iran. This cross-sectional study was conducted on a sample of 310 adult females from immigrant Afghan households in Tehran (n=155) and Mashhad (n=155), who were recruited through multistage sampling. Data were collected through face-to-face interviews, using a questionnaire. Food security was measured by a locally-adapted Household Food Insecurity Access Scale. More than 60% suffered from moderate-to-severe food insecurity, 37% were mildly food-insecure while about 23% were food-secure. Food insecurity was significantly more prevalent in female-headed households, households whose head and spouse had lower level of education, belonged to the Sunni sect, and those with illegal residential status, unemployment/low job status, not owning their house, low socioeconomic status (SES), and living in Mashhad. Prevalence of food insecurity was relatively high among Afghan immigrants in Iran. This calls for the need to develop community food security strategies for ensuring their short- and long-term health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nasrin Omidvar
- Department of Community Nutrition, Faculty of Nutrition Sciences and Food Technology, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | | | - Rasoul Sadeghi
- Department of Demography, Faculty of Social Science, University of Tehran, Iran
| | - Fatemeh Mohammadi
- Department of Community Nutrition, Faculty of Nutrition Sciences and Food Technology, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mohammad Jalal Abbasi-Shavazi
- Department of Demography, University of Tehran, Iran and Australian Demographic and Social Research Institute, Australian National University, Canberra, Australia
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Quandt SA, Summers P, Bischoff WE, Chen H, Wiggins MF, Spears CR, Arcury TA. Cooking and eating facilities in migrant farmworker housing in North Carolina. Am J Public Health 2013; 103:e78-84. [PMID: 23327274 DOI: 10.2105/ajph.2012.300831] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES We sought to (1) describe observed cooking and eating facilities in migrant farmworker camps, (2) compare observed conditions with existing farmworker housing regulations, and (3) examine associations of violations with camp characteristics. METHODS We collected data in 182 farmworker camps in eastern North Carolina during the 2010 agricultural season. We compared our observations with 15 kitchen-related housing regulations specified by federal and state housing standards. RESULTS We observed violations of 8 regulations in at least 10% of camps: improper refrigerator temperature (65.5%), cockroach infestation (45.9%), contaminated water (34.4%), rodent infestation (28.9%), improper flooring (25.8%), unsanitary conditions (21.2%), improper fire extinguisher (19.9%), and holes or leaks in walls (12.1%). Logistic regression showed that violations were related to the time of the agricultural season, housing type, number of dwellings and residents, and presence of workers with H-2A visas. CONCLUSIONS Cooking and eating facilities for migrant farmworkers fail to comply with regulations in a substantial number of camps. Greater enforcement of regulations, particularly during occupancy during the agricultural season, is needed to protect farmworkers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara A Quandt
- Department of Epidemiology, Division of Public Health Sciences, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC 27157, USA.
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