Michael P. Burke

U.S. Households With Children Are Exposed to Nonpersistent and Persistent Food Insecurity

The objective of this study was to quantify and describe the extent to which children are exposed to food insecurity across middle childhood in the United States. Specifically, we aimed to longitudinally identify (1) the prevalence of nonpersistent and persistent food insecurity in households with children between kindergarten and eighth grade and (2) possible disparities in the prevalence of nonpersistent and persistent food insecurity in households with children between kindergarten and eighth grade. Data were obtained from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study-Kindergarten data set. We found that many households with children in the United States experience nonpersistent and persistent food insecurity and considerable disparities exist between population groups.

Household Food Insecurity is Associated With Greater Growth in Body Mass Index Among Female Children from Kindergarten Through Eighth Grade

ABSTRACT The purpose of this study was to investigate the longitudinal association between household food security status and growth in body mass index (BMI) in a sample of U.S. children from kindergarten through eighth grade. In kindergarten, females in food insecure households had an average BMI that was 1.12% less (95% confidence interval [CI], −1.89, −0.34) than females in food secure households. Between kindergarten and eighth grade, females in food insecure households increased their BMI growth by 2.87% (95% CI, 1.27, 4.49) compared to females in food secure households. This growth resulted in a BMI in eighth grade that was 1.72% higher (95% CI, 0.34, 3.12) among females in food insecure households compared to those in food secure households. No significant differences were found for BMI growth in males based on household food security status. Household food insecurity is significantly associated with BMI growth in female children.

Severity of household food insecurity and lifetime racial discrimination among African-American households in South Carolina

ABSTRACT Objectives: In 2014, 30% of African-American households with children had low or very low food security, a rate double that of white households with children. A household has low food security if its members experience food shortages and reductions in food quality attributable to a lack of household resources or access and very low food security if its members also experience reductions in food intake and disrupted eating patterns. Households that are either low or very low food secure are known collectively as food insecure. We examined the association between the severity of household food insecurity and reports of lifetime racial discrimination among a sample of food-insecure African-American households in South Carolina. Design: Data were collected from 154 African-American respondents. Food insecurity was measured using the US Department of Agriculture’s Household Food Security Survey Module. Lifetime racial discrimination was measured using the Perceived Ethnic Discrimination Questionnaire-Community Version (PEDQ-CV). We used logistic regression to test the association between severity of food insecurity (low vs. very low food secure), PEDQ-CV score and PEDQ-CV subscales. All models were adjusted for demographic and socioeconomic variables. Results: A one-unit increase in the frequency of lifetime racial discrimination was associated with a 5% increase in the odds of being very low food secure (odds ratio (OR) 1.05, P < .05). More reports of discrimination that were stigmatizing or devaluing (OR 1.16, P < .05), took place at a workplace or school (OR 1.15, P < .05) or were threatening or aggressive (OR 1.39, P < .05) increased the odds of being very low food secure. More reports of racial discrimination that were excluding or rejecting did not significantly increase the odds of being very low food secure (OR 1.07, P > .05). Conclusions: Severity of household food insecurity is associated with lifetime racial discrimination among African-American households in South Carolina.