Associations of household food insufficiency with childhood depression and anxiety: a nationwide cross-sectional study in the USA

Association of household food insecurity with sociodemographic factors and obesity in US youth: findings from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2017-2018

Background

The objective is to determine the prevalence of household food insecurity (HFI) based on sociodemographic factors and their relationship to obesity in youth.

Methods

The study included a sample of 1,962 youth (aged 6-18) from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). The US Household Food Security Survey Module is used to measure food security over the past 12 months. Logistic regression models were used to estimate adjusted odds ratios (ORs) while controlling for covariates.

Results

In total, 27.4% of the individuals surveyed experienced HFI. Youth from food insecure households were more likely to be obese (adjusted odds ratio [aOR]: 1.59 [95% confidence interval: 1.19-2.13]) and also having abdominal obesity (aOR: 1.56 [95% CI: 1.19-2.03]). however, factors such as non-Hispanic ethnicity, having a Head of household with a college degree, and households with an income exceeding 350% of the poverty line were associated with a reduced risk of facing HFI.

Conclusion

Hispanic individuals, households with lower parental education levels, and lower family incomes, are disproportionately affected by food insecurity. Furthermore, HFI has been associated with an increased risk of overweight and abdominal obesity among youth. Addressing FI requires targeted policies and interventions that prioritize vulnerable groups.

Prospective association of screen time with binge-eating disorder among adolescents in the United States: The mediating role of depression

OBJECTIVE

Screen time has been reported to be associated with binge-eating disorder (BED) among adolescents in the US; however, potential mediators remain unclear. This study aimed to evaluate depression symptoms as a mediator of the prospective association between screen time and BED.

METHOD

We utilized data from 9465 children (aged 9-11 years at baseline) from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) study (2016-2021). A generalized structural equation model was used to examine the prospective association between average daily screen time at baseline and BED at year 2, adjusting for baseline BED diagnosis, and other potential covariates (e.g., age, sex, and income). Mediation was examined using bias-corrected (BC) 95% confidence intervals for the indirect effect of baseline screen time on year 2 BED through depression symptoms (change from baseline to year 1).

RESULTS

One hundred and one participants (42.7% male, 49.4% racial/ethnic minority) met the criteria for BED in year 2. Participants were 9.9 years of age on average at baseline, 51.3% identified as male, and 43.1% identified as a racial/ethnic minority. Adjusting for covariates, screen time was prospectively associated with BED (OR = 1.09, 95% CI [1.03, 1.14], p = .005). Depression symptoms (B = .19, BC 95% CI [0.10, 0.28]) partially mediated (9.2%) the prospective association between screen time and BED.

DISCUSSION

Among US adolescents, higher baseline screen time was prospectively associated with BED diagnosis at year 2, and this relationship was partially mediated by increased depression symptoms. Preventive approaches targeting high screen use may have utility for reducing BED risk among adolescents.

PUBLIC SIGNIFICANCE

Among U.S. adolescents, higher screen time was prospectively associated with the incidence of BED. This association was partially mediated by the change in depressive symptoms. Preventive approaches targeting high screen use may have utility for reducing BED risk among adolescents.

A review of dairy food intake for improving health among black children and adolescents in the US

Adequate nutrition during childhood and adolescence is crucial for proper neurological, musculoskeletal, immunological, and cardiometabolic health and development. Yet, disparities among socially underserved racial/ethnic groups in the United States (US) provide significant challenges to achieving adequate nutrition during these years of rapid growth and maturation. For example, Black children and adolescents are at greater risk for having food insecurity, lower-quality diets, obesity, and numerous associated health challenges that result from these disparities compared to their White peers. A growing body of evidence indicates that improving diet quality is critical for improving childhood and adolescent health and well-being, and that the diverse nutritional profile and bioactive compounds found within dairy foods may play multiple roles in promoting proper growth and development during these life stages. Therefore, to support overall health and development among Black youth, greater education and implementation efforts are needed to help this population meet the national dietary recommendations of 2.5 to 3 servings of dairy foods per day. Continuing to fall short of these recommendations puts Black children and adolescents at risk of multiple nutrient inadequacies and health disparities that can have lifelong impacts on disease development, mental health, and quality of life. This review presents the state of knowledge on health disparities and modifiable nutritional strategies involving milk and dairy foods to support the growth and maturation of children and adolescents, with a special focus on Black youth in the US.

Association of Food Insecurity Status with Resolution of Mental Health Conditions in Children and Adolescents

OBJECTIVE

Adverse consequences related to unresolved mental health issues underscore the importance of identifying factors that impede resolution of mental health conditions. Although studies have identified food insecurity as a risk factor for the diagnosis of mental health conditions, its impact on unresolved mental health issues is not understood. The objective of this study is to investigate the association of food insecurity status with resolution of depression, anxiety, and behavioral/conduct problems in children and adolescents.

METHODS

Using National Survey of Children's Health 2016 to 2019, logistic regression analyses examined the relationship of food insecurity status with the diagnosis and resolution of depression, anxiety, and behavioral/conduct problems in children (aged 5-11 years) and adolescents (aged 12-17 years).

RESULTS

Mild, moderate, and severe food insecurity were significantly associated with higher odds of being diagnosed with depression, anxiety, and behavioral/conduct problems. Severe food insecurity was significantly associated with higher odds of unresolved behavioral/conduct problems in children (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 10.09; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.99-34.04), after adjustment for demographic covariates. In adolescents, severe food insecurity was significantly related to greater odds of unresolved depression (aOR, 6.64; 95% CI, 2.13-20.70), anxiety (aOR, 3.27; 95% CI, 1.31-8.14), and behavioral/conduct problems (aOR, 5.57; 95% CI, 2.09-14.85). These associations of severe food insecurity with unresolved mental health conditions were significant even after adjustment for the receipt of mental health care. Mild and moderate food insecurity were not significantly associated with unresolved mental health conditions.

CONCLUSION

The findings suggest that severe food insecurity is associated with increased odds of unresolved mental health conditions in children and adolescents. This study highlights the importance of tailoring interventions to provide appropriate mental health services for children and adolescents from severely food insecure households.

Household Food Insufficiency and Chronic Pain among Children in the US: A National Study

This study aimed to determine the prevalence of pediatric chronic pain by household food sufficiency status and examine whether food insufficiency would be associated with greater risk for chronic pain. We analyzed data from the 2019-2020 National Survey of Children's Health of 48,410 children (6-17 years) in the United States. Across the sample, 26.1% (95% CI: 25.2-27.0) experienced mild food insufficiency and 5.1% (95% CI: 4.6-5.7) moderate/severe food insufficiency. The prevalence of chronic pain was higher among children with mild (13.7%) and moderate/severe food insufficiency (20.6%) relative to children in food-sufficient households (6.7%, p < 0.001). After adjusting for a priori covariates (individual: age, sex, race/ethnicity, anxiety, depression, other health conditions, adverse childhood events; household: poverty, parent education, physical and mental health; community: region of residence), multivariable logistic regression revealed that children with mild food insufficiency had 1.6 times greater odds of having chronic pain (95% CI: 1.4-1.9, p < 0.0001) and those with moderate/severe food insufficiency, 1.9 higher odds (95% CI: 1.4-2.7, p < 0.0001) relative to food-sufficient children. The dose-response relationship between food insufficiency and childhood chronic pain highlights the importance of further research to identify underlying mechanisms and evaluate the impact of food insufficiency on the onset and persistence of chronic pain across the lifespan.