The Determinants of Overweight and Obesity among Low-Income Children

Recipient Organization
USDA/ERS
1800 M STREET NW
WASHINGTON,DC 20036

Performing Department
ECONOMIC RESEARCH SERVICE

Non Technical Summary
This project will examine the determinants of obesity among low-income children with a focus on food insufficiency and food assistance program participation.

Animal Health Component

90%

Research Effort Categories

Basic

10%

Applied

90%

Developmental

(N/A)

Classification

Knowledge Area (KA)	Subject of Investigation (SOI)	Field of Science (FOS)	Percent
610	5010	3010	100%

Knowledge Area
610 - Domestic Policy Analysis;

Subject Of Investigation
5010 - Food;

Field Of Science
3010 - Economics;

Keywords

program participation

Goals / Objectives
To examine the determinants of obesity among low-income children with a focus on food insufficiency and food assistance program participation.

Project Methods
The overall goals of the proposed research are to examine the relationships between household food insufficiency and obesity among low-income children, and to determine whether chronic or recurrent household food insufficiency is associated with greater likelihood of obesity occurring among children in the household. To accomplish these goals, data from the 3rd National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III) will be analyzed. Chi squared/Mantel-Haenszel techniques and multi-level logistic regression models employing household and individuals level variables will be used to model the relationship of obesity to household food insufficiency status, and to other relevant independent variables.

Progress 10/01/04 to 09/30/05

Outputs
See 2004. No additional progress to report for 2005.

Impacts
No impact to report for 2005.

Publications

Variyam, J., John T. Cook, Jean Cantey-Kiser, "Is Food Insecurity Associated with Overweight Among Children?", Poster presented at Societies for Pediatric Research, Baltimore, MD, May 4, 2002.

Progress 10/01/03 to 09/30/04

Outputs
A report detailing the study findings was submitted on 5/15/2004. Overall the study found some, though not strong or consistent, support for significant associations between food insecurity and overweight. For Hispanic males affirming any of the food security items there is a consistent positive association between food insecurity and overweight. For White children there is a trend toward marginally significant associations between food insecurity and overweight, though the associations are opposite in sign (negative for males and positive for females), and only rise to the 0.05 level of significance in the case of white females.

Impacts
See output.

Publications

Variyam, J., John T. Cook, Jean Cantey-Kiser, "Is Food Insecurity Associated with Overweight Among Children?", Poster presented at Societies for Pediatric Research, Baltimore, MD, May 4, 2002.

Progress 10/01/02 to 09/30/03

Outputs
See output.

Impacts
See output.

Publications

Variyam, J., John T. Cook, Jean Cantey-Kiser, "Is Food Insecurity Associated with Overweight Among Children?", Poster presented at Societies for Pediatric Research, Baltimore, MD, May 4, 2002.

Progress 10/01/01 to 09/30/02

Outputs
Preliminary results from the analysis of food insufficiency and overweight among children were presented at a symposium on obesity at the annual meeting of the American Agricultural Economics Association, July 28-31, 2002 in Long Beach, CA. A poster presentation of the results were also made at the Pediatric Academic Socities meeting on May 4-7, 2002. A manuscript outlining the results of the analyses is being prepared for journal submisson.

Impacts
See output.

Publications

Variyam, J., John T. Cook, Jean Cantey-Kiser, "Is Food Insecurity Associated with Overweight Among Children?", Poster presented at Societies for Pediatric Research, Baltimore, MD, May 4, 2002.