Food Insecurity and Adolescent Obesity
Food insecurity is a nutrition concern across the entire globe including right here in the United States. Food insecurity is defined as the lack of access to food for an active and healthy life (Holben & Taylor, 536). This is a preventable nutrition concern, however lack of basic access to food affects 14.3 percent of all U.S. households and 19.5 percent of households with children (Holben & Taylor, 536). Food insecurity is becoming more and more of a concern, "the number of households with severely low levels of food security among children almost doubled between 2003 and 2010" said Holben.
The purpose of this study was to look at the effects of food insecurity. The researchers administered the National Health and Nutritional Examination survey to a sample of adolescents aged 12 to 18. More than 7,500 participants were interviewed and given physical exams between 1999 and 2006. The study found that participants of households considered marginally low, low, and very low food security were 33 to 44 percent more likely to be overweight than their high food security counterparts. The adolescents with low to marginally low food security were also 1.5 times more likely to have central adiposity, defined as having excess fat around the stomach and abdomen. Central adiposity is linked with several chronic diseases such as heart disease and diabetes.
These study results are very alarming. It is important that those who are food insecure are told about the resources out there to help them gain access to healthy, nutrient dense foods. This is also why the National School Lunch Program is a great asset. This program gives children access to nutrient rich foods that they may not have access to at home. This nutrition problem is one that can actually be solved. It is important for policies to be put in place to help advocate for those who need a little help. New policies and changes could possibly help reduce the number of adolescents facing chronic disease at such an early stage of their lives.
-KO
The purpose of this study was to look at the effects of food insecurity. The researchers administered the National Health and Nutritional Examination survey to a sample of adolescents aged 12 to 18. More than 7,500 participants were interviewed and given physical exams between 1999 and 2006. The study found that participants of households considered marginally low, low, and very low food security were 33 to 44 percent more likely to be overweight than their high food security counterparts. The adolescents with low to marginally low food security were also 1.5 times more likely to have central adiposity, defined as having excess fat around the stomach and abdomen. Central adiposity is linked with several chronic diseases such as heart disease and diabetes.
These study results are very alarming. It is important that those who are food insecure are told about the resources out there to help them gain access to healthy, nutrient dense foods. This is also why the National School Lunch Program is a great asset. This program gives children access to nutrient rich foods that they may not have access to at home. This nutrition problem is one that can actually be solved. It is important for policies to be put in place to help advocate for those who need a little help. New policies and changes could possibly help reduce the number of adolescents facing chronic disease at such an early stage of their lives.
David H. Holben, Christopher A. Taylor. Food Insecurity and Its Association With Central Obesity and Other Markers of Metabolic Syndrome Among Persons Aged 12 to 18 Years in the United States.The Journal of the American Osteopathic Association, 2015; 115 (9): 536 DOI: 10.7556/jaoa.2015.111
Comments
Post a Comment