Food insecurity and gender are risk factors for obesity.
OBJECTIVE
Examine relationships between adult obesity, childhood overweight, and food insecurity.


METHODS
Cross-sectional retrospective study.


METHODS
Community settings in Hartford, Connecticut.


METHODS
Convenience sample of 200 parents and their 212 children, aged 2-12.


METHODS
Adult obesity (Body Mass Index [BMI] > 30), childhood overweight (BMI-for-age > 95(th) percentile), and household food security (U.S. Department of Agriculture module).


METHODS
Chi-square tests between weight status and socioeconomic characteristics. Multinomial regression analyses to determine risk factors for adult obesity and childhood overweight.


RESULTS
Over half of parents (51%) were obese, and almost one-third of children (31.6%) were overweight. Over half of households were food insecure. Food insecure adults were significantly more likely to be obese as those who were food secure (Odds Ratio [OR]=2.45, p = .02). Being a girl and having an obese parent doubled the likelihood of children being overweight (OR=2.56, P = .01; OR=2.32, P = .03). Children with family incomes below 100% of poverty were half as likely to be overweight as those with higher incomes (OR=.47, P = .05). Food insecurity did not increase odds of childhood overweight.


CONCLUSIONS
Obesity prevention programs and policies need to address food insecurity and gender as key risk factors.
Martin
Katie S
KS
Center for Public Health and Health Policy, University of Connecticut, East Hartford, CT 06108, USA. katie.martin@uconn.edu
Ferris
Ann M
AM
D015992:Body Mass Index; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D003237:Connecticut / Q000453:epidemiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005523:Food Supply; D006801:Humans; D006815:Hunger; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology*; D016017:Odds Ratio; D010287:Parent-Child Relations; D011203:Poverty; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors