Anthropometric characteristics of children living in food-insecure households in the USA

Objective: This study provides information on food insecurity and child malnutrition in a technologically advanced nation. Design: Population-based study using multistage probability cluster sampling design to collect survey data. Multivariable regression models were used to determine associations between food security status and various malnutrition indices. Setting: We used a national sample from the US National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2011-2014. Participants: The anthropometric and demographic data sets of 4121 children Results: Food-insecure infants younger than 6 months had shorter upper arm length (-0 center dot 4 cm, P = 0 center dot 012) and smaller mid-upper arm circumference (-0 center dot 5 cm, P = 0 center dot 004); likewise those aged 6 months-1 year had shorter upper arm length (-0 center dot 4 cm, P = 0 center dot 008), body length (-1 center dot 7 cm, P = 0 center dot 007) and lower body weight (-0 center dot 5 kg, P = 0 center dot 008). Food-insecure children younger than 2 years were more likely to be underweight (OR: 4 center dot 34; 95 % CI 1 center dot 99, 9 center dot 46) compared with their food-secure counterparts. Contrariwise, food-insecure children older than 5 years were more likely to be obese (OR: 3 center dot 12; 95 % CI 1 center dot 23, 7 center dot 96). Conclusions: Food insecurity associates with child growth deficits in the USA. Food-insecure infants and young children are generally smaller and shorter, whereas older children are heavier than their food-secure counterparts, implying a double burden of undernutrition-overnutrition associated with child food insecurity. Child food and nutrition programmes to improve food insecurity should focus on infants and children in the transition ages.