Food Insecurity and the Behavioral and Intellectual Development of Children: A Review of the Evidence

Autor/inn/en	Perez-Escamilla, Fafael; de Toledo Vianna, Rodrigo Pinheiro
Titel	Food Insecurity and the Behavioral and Intellectual Development of Children: A Review of the Evidence
Quelle	In: Journal of Applied Research on Children, 3 (2012) 1, Artikel 9 (18 Seiten)Infoseite zur Zeitschrift PDF als Volltext kostenfreie Datei Verfügbarkeit
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	2155-5834
Schlagwörter	Food; Security (Psychology); Well Being; Correlation; Behavior Problems; Child Development; Cognitive Development; Emotional Development; Social Development; Mental Health; Parent Child Relationship; Stress Variables; Depression (Psychology); Public Policy; Health Services; Hunger; Family Environment; Poverty; Intellectual Development + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Lebensmittel; Security; Psychology; Sicherheit; Well-being; Wellness; Wohlbefinden; Korrelation; Kindesentwicklung; Kognitive Entwicklung; Gefühlsbildung; Soziale Entwicklung; Psychohygiene; Parents-child relationship; Parent-child-relation; Parent-child relationship; Eltern-Kind-Beziehung; Öffentliche Ordnung; Health service; Gesundheitsdienst; Gesundheitswesen; Familienmilieu; Armut; Mental development; Geistige Entwicklung
Abstract	Background: Given that an alarming 1 in 5 children in the USA are at risk of hunger (1 in 3 among black and Latino children), and that 3.9 million households with children are food insecure, it is crucial to understand how household food insecurity (HFI) affects the present and future well-being of our children. Purpose: The objectives of this review article are to: (i) examine the association between HFI and child intellectual, behavioral and psycho-emotional development, controlling for socio-economic indicators; (ii) review the hypothesis that HFI is indeed a mediator of the relationship between poverty and poor child development outcomes; (iii) examine if the potential impact of HFI on caregivers' mental health well-being mediates the relationship between HFI and child development outcomes. Methods: Pubmed search using the key words "food insecurity children." For articles to be included they had to: (i) be based on studies measuring HFI using an experience-based scale, (ii) be peer reviewed, and (iii) include child intellectual, behavioral and/or socio-emotional development outcomes. Studies were also selected based on backward and forward Pubmed searches, and from the authors' files. After reviewing the abstracts based on inclusion criteria a total of 26 studies were selected. Results: HFI represents not only a biological but also a psycho-emotional and developmental challenge to children exposed to it. Children exposed to HFI are more likely to internalize or externalize problems, as compared to children not exposed to HFI. This in turn is likely to translate into poor academic/cognitive performance and intellectual achievement later on in life. A pathway through which HFI may affect child development is possibly mediated by caregivers' mental health status, especially parental stress and depression. Thus, HFI is likely to foster dysfunctional family environments. Conclusion: Findings indicate that food insecure households may require continued food assistance and psycho-emotional support until they transition to a "stable" food secure situation. This approach will require a much better integration of social policies and access to programs offering food assistance and mental health services to those in need. Findings also fully justify increased access of vulnerable children to programs that promote early in life improved nutrition as well as early psycho-social and cognitive stimulation opportunities. (As Provided).
Anmerkungen	Children At Risk. 2900 Weslayan Street Suite 400, Houston, TX 77027. Tel: 713-869-7740; Fax: 713-869-3409; e-mail: jarc@childrenatrisk.org; Web site: http://digitalcommons.library.tmc.edu/childrenatrisk/
Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2020/1/01