Food insufficiency, family income, and health in US preschool and school-aged children

Objectives. This study investigated associations between family income, foo d insufficiency, and health among US preschool and school-aged children. Methods. Data from the third National Health and Nutrition Examination Surv ey were analyzed. Children were classified as food insufficient if the fami ly respondent reported that the family sometimes or often did not get enoug h food to cat. Regression analyses were conducted with health measures as t he outcome variables. Prevalence rates of health variables were compared by family income category, with control for age and gender. Odds ratios for f ood insufficiency were calculated with control for family income and other potential confounding factors. Results. Low-income children had a higher prevalence of poor/fair health st atus and iron deficiency than high-income children. After confounding facto rs, including poverty status, had been controlled, food- insufficient child ren were significantly more likely to have poorer health status and to expe rience more frequent stomachaches and headaches than food-sufficient childr en; preschool food-insufficient children had more frequent colds. Conclusions. Food insufficiency and low family income are health concerns f or US preschool and school-aged children.