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  • Clinical Research Article
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The association of food insecurity with mental health in preschool-aged children and their parents

Pediatric Research volume 94, pages 290–295 (2023)Cite this article

Abstract

Background

Household food insecurity (HFI) is associated with poor general and mental health. Prior studies assessed parent and child mental health separately and did not assess other social risks.

Objective

To assess the relationship between HFI and both parental and child mental health.

Methods

Parents of 3–5-year-old children completed validated measures of food insecurity and mental health. Separate linear regression models were used for unadjusted analysis for each mental health outcome (parent depression, anxiety, and stress, and child mental health). Multivariable analysis was performed using hierarchical regression to adjust for relevant covariates.

Results

Children (n = 335) were racially and socioeconomically diverse. HFI was reported in 10% of participants. HFI was associated with worse parent depression and stress in unadjusted analyses; however, after adjusting for covariates, the associations became insignificant. HFI was significantly associated with worse child mental health in unadjusted and multivariable analysis (aβ 2.24, 95% CI 0.59–3.88) compared to those without HFI.

Conclusion

HFI was not associated with parental mental health outcomes when other social risks were included in the analyses; however, HFI was significantly associated with worse childhood mental health in all analyses. Pediatric providers should screen for and develop interventions to target both HFI and mental health.

Impact

  • Household food insecurity was associated with worse parent depression and stress in unadjusted analyses; however, after adjusting for other social risks, the associations became insignificant.

  • Household food insecurity was significantly associated with worse child mental health, even after adjusting for demographics, other social risks, and parent mental health.

  • Social risks are differentially associated with parent and child mental health.

  • Understanding the complexities of family stressors can help better support parents and children struggling with mental health problems and social risks.

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Data availability

The datasets generated during and/or analyzed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

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Funding

This study and C.L.B. were supported by a grant from the National Institute for Child Health and Human Development (grant K23HD099249). The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health. The funding organization has no role in the design and conduct of the study; collection, management, analysis, and interpretation of the data; preparation, review, or approval of the manuscript; and decision to submit the manuscript for publication.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pediatrics, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, USA

    Gabriella Dean, Joseph A. Skelton, Caroline B. Lucas & Callie L. Brown

  2. Department of Epidemiology and Prevention, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, USA

    Mara Z. Vitolins, Joseph A. Skelton & Callie L. Brown

  3. Department of Biostatistics and Data Science, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, USA

    Edward H. Ip

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  1. Gabriella Dean
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Contributions

G.D. conceptualized and designed the study, interpreted data, drafted the initial manuscript, and approved the final manuscript as submitted. C.B.L. conceptualized and designed the study, performed data collection, revised the manuscript critically for important intellectual content, and approved the final manuscript as submitted. J.A.S., E.H.I., and M.Z.V. conceptualized and designed the study, interpreted data, revised the manuscript critically for important intellectual content, and approved the final manuscript as submitted. C.L.B. conceptualized and designed the study, coordinated and supervised data collection, carried out the initial analyses, revised the manuscript critically for important intellectual content, and approved the final manuscript as submitted.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Callie L. Brown.

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The authors declare no competing interests.

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Written informed consent was obtained from parents prior to participation. Assent from the child was not obtained as children were <7 years old.

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Dean, G., Vitolins, M.Z., Skelton, J.A. et al. The association of food insecurity with mental health in preschool-aged children and their parents. Pediatr Res 94, 290–295 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41390-022-02458-1

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