Food insecurity is associated with higher food responsiveness in low-income children: The moderating role of parent stress and family functioning.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Food insecurity (FI) may increase the odds for childhood obesity, yet little is known about the mechanism explaining this relationship. Parents experience greater psychosocial stress in the context of FI. In these environments, children from FI households may exhibit different appetitive behaviours.

Objectives

To examine associations between FI and appetitive behaviours in children (3-5 years) and to explore whether social, emotional and structural properties of the home environment moderate this relationship.

Methods

In a low-income sample of 504 parent-child dyads, parents completed the household food security module and the Children's Eating Behavior Questionnaire. A subsample (n = 361) self-reported perceived stress, depressive symptoms, household chaos

SUBMITTER: Eagleton SG 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8639647 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature