TY - JOUR
T1 - Food Security is Associated with Higher Diet Quality Among Children of the US–Affiliated Pacific Region
AU - Hingle, Melanie
AU - Short, Eliza
AU - Aflague, Tanisha
AU - Boushey, Carol
AU - Butel, Jean
AU - Coleman, Patricia
AU - Deenik, Jonathan
AU - Fleming, Travis
AU - Olfert, Melissa
AU - Shallcross, Leslie
AU - Wilkens, Lynne R.
AU - Novotny, Rachel
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2023 American Society for Nutrition
PY - 2023/3
Y1 - 2023/3
N2 - Background: The prevalence of food insecurity and its relationship to diet quality are factors impacting the health of persons living across the United States–affiliated Pacific region (USAP). Objectives: The aim of this study was to describe characterize the relationship between household food security status and diet quality of 2- to 8-y-old children across jurisdictions in the USAP. Methods: Baseline data from 2- to 8-y-olds (n = 3099) enrolled in the Children's Healthy Living Program for Remote Underserved Minority Populations in the Pacific region, an obesity prevention study conducted in communities across Alaska, American Samoa, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI), Guam, and Hawaii, and a concomitant prevalence study in communities across the Freely Associated States (FAS) (the Federated States of Micronesia: Kosrae, Pohnpei, Chuuk, Yap; Republic of Marshall Islands; Republic of Palau) were collected in 2012. Caregivers self-reported sociodemographic data and food insecurity. Assisted by their caregiver, children completed two dietary records on nonconsecutive, randomly assigned days. The Healthy Eating Index 2005 (HEI-2005) was used to assess the diet quality. Data were summarized overall and by jurisdiction. Differences in HEI-2005 and HEI component scores among jurisdictions and by household food security status were tested using 1-factor ANOVA. Results: Half or more of participants from American Samoa, Guam, CNMI, and FAS reported household food insecurity (n = 295, 59.7%; n = 292, 49.9%; n = 267, 54.6%; n = 572, 69.0%, respectively). HEI-2005 scores varied by jurisdiction (P < 0.001) and were significantly lower among FAS participants (54.7 ± 1.2) than among all other jurisdictions (P < 0.05). Total diet quality scores did not differ by food security status (59.9 ± 0.8 food secure compared with 58.3 ± 1.1 food insecure, P = 0.07); however, most diet quality adequacy component scores were significantly higher and moderation component scores significantly lower among participants in food secure households than those in food insecure households. Conclusions: Significant differences in children's diet quality and household food security existed across USAP jurisdictions.
AB - Background: The prevalence of food insecurity and its relationship to diet quality are factors impacting the health of persons living across the United States–affiliated Pacific region (USAP). Objectives: The aim of this study was to describe characterize the relationship between household food security status and diet quality of 2- to 8-y-old children across jurisdictions in the USAP. Methods: Baseline data from 2- to 8-y-olds (n = 3099) enrolled in the Children's Healthy Living Program for Remote Underserved Minority Populations in the Pacific region, an obesity prevention study conducted in communities across Alaska, American Samoa, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI), Guam, and Hawaii, and a concomitant prevalence study in communities across the Freely Associated States (FAS) (the Federated States of Micronesia: Kosrae, Pohnpei, Chuuk, Yap; Republic of Marshall Islands; Republic of Palau) were collected in 2012. Caregivers self-reported sociodemographic data and food insecurity. Assisted by their caregiver, children completed two dietary records on nonconsecutive, randomly assigned days. The Healthy Eating Index 2005 (HEI-2005) was used to assess the diet quality. Data were summarized overall and by jurisdiction. Differences in HEI-2005 and HEI component scores among jurisdictions and by household food security status were tested using 1-factor ANOVA. Results: Half or more of participants from American Samoa, Guam, CNMI, and FAS reported household food insecurity (n = 295, 59.7%; n = 292, 49.9%; n = 267, 54.6%; n = 572, 69.0%, respectively). HEI-2005 scores varied by jurisdiction (P < 0.001) and were significantly lower among FAS participants (54.7 ± 1.2) than among all other jurisdictions (P < 0.05). Total diet quality scores did not differ by food security status (59.9 ± 0.8 food secure compared with 58.3 ± 1.1 food insecure, P = 0.07); however, most diet quality adequacy component scores were significantly higher and moderation component scores significantly lower among participants in food secure households than those in food insecure households. Conclusions: Significant differences in children's diet quality and household food security existed across USAP jurisdictions.
KW - Healthy Eating Index
KW - Pacific Islands
KW - access to healthy foods
KW - diet
KW - food assistance
KW - food security
KW - healthy
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UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85150025442&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.tjnut.2023.01.015
DO - 10.1016/j.tjnut.2023.01.015
M3 - Article
C2 - 36775673
AN - SCOPUS:85150025442
SN - 0022-3166
VL - 153
SP - 848
EP - 856
JO - Journal of Nutrition
JF - Journal of Nutrition
IS - 3
ER -