![[Feedback]](/icons/banner/feedbackACT.gif){kind=icon}
![[For Subscribers]](/icons/banner/subscriberACT.gif){kind=icon}
![[Archive]](/icons/banner/archiveACT.gif){kind=icon}
![[Search]](/icons/banner/searchACT.gif){kind=icon}
![[Contents]](/icons/banner/tocACT.gif){kind=icon}
|
|
|
|
|
||
Department of Nutritional Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5S 3E2
1To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: valerie.tarasuk{at}utoronto.ca.
The purposes of this study were to estimate the prevalence of household food insufficiency in Canada, to identify sociodemographic characteristics of households most likely to report food insufficiency and to examine the relationship between food insufficiency and physical, mental and social health. These objectives were achieved through an analysis of data from the 1996/1997 National Population Health Survey. An estimated 4% of Canadians, 1.1 million people, were found to be living in food-insufficient households. Single-parent families, households reporting their major source of income as welfare, unemployment insurance or workers’ compensation, those who did not own their own homes and households in Western Canada were more likely to report food insufficiency. The likelihood of reporting food insufficiency increased dramatically as income adequacy deteriorated. Individuals from food-insufficient households had significantly higher odds of reporting poor/fair health, of having poor functional health, restricted activity and multiple chronic conditions, of suffering from major depression and distress, and of having poor social support. Individuals in food-insufficient households were also more likely to report heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure and food allergies. Men in food-insufficient households were less likely to be overweight; after adjusting for potentially confounding variables, no other associations were found between food insufficiency and body mass index. These findings suggest that food insufficiency is one dimension of a more pervasive vulnerability to a range of physical, mental and social health problems among households struggling with economic constraints.
KEY WORDS: • food insecurity • health status • welfare • body mass index • Canada
This article has been cited by other articles:
|
|
 |
|
  K. K. Saha, E. A. Frongillo, D. S. Alam, S. E. Arifeen, L. A. Persson, and K. M. Rasmussen Household Food Security Is Associated with Infant Feeding Practices in Rural Bangladesh J. Nutr., July 1, 2008; 138(7): 1383 - 1390. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 A.-A. Lyons, J. Park, and C. H. Nelson Food Insecurity and Obesity: A Comparison of Self-Reported and Measured Height and Weight Am J Public Health, April 1, 2008; 98(4): 751 - 757. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
S. I. Kirkpatrick and V. Tarasuk Food Insecurity Is Associated with Nutrient Inadequacies among Canadian Adults and Adolescents J. Nutr., March 1, 2008; 138(3): 604 - 612. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
V. Tarasuk, L. McIntyre, and J. Li Low-Income Women's Dietary Intakes Are Sensitive to the Depletion of Household Resources in One Month J. Nutr., August 1, 2007; 137(8): 1980 - 1987. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 L. McLaren Socioeconomic Status and Obesity Epidemiol. Rev., May 2, 2007; (2007) mxm001v1. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
K. Kim and E. A. Frongillo Participation in Food Assistance Programs Modifies the Relation of Food Insecurity with Weight and Depression in Elders J. Nutr., April 1, 2007; 137(4): 1005 - 1010. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 R. Engler-Stringer and S. Berenbaum Exploring Food Security With Collective Kitchens Participants in Three Canadian Cities Qual Health Res, January 1, 2007; 17(1): 75 - 84. [Abstract] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 P. H. Casey, P. M. Simpson, J. M. Gossett, M. L. Bogle, C. M. Champagne, C. Connell, D. Harsha, B. McCabe-Sellers, J. M. Robbins, J. E. Stuff, et al. The Association of Child and Household Food Insecurity With Childhood Overweight Status Pediatrics, November 1, 2006; 118(5): e1406 - e1413. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
R. C. Whitaker, S. M. Phillips, and S. M. Orzol Food Insecurity and the Risks of Depression and Anxiety in Mothers and Behavior Problems in their Preschool-Aged Children Pediatrics, September 1, 2006; 118(3): e859 - e868. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 L. Seguin, Q. Xu, L. Gauvin, M.-V. Zunzunegui, L. Potvin, and K. L Frohlich Understanding the dimensions of socioeconomic status that influence toddlers' health: unique impact of lack of money for basic needs in Quebec's birth cohort J. Epidemiol. Community Health, January 1, 2005; 59(1): 42 - 48. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 P. H. Casey, K. L. Szeto, J. M. Robbins, J. E. Stuff, C. Connell, J. M. Gossett, and P. M. Simpson Child Health-Related Quality of Life and Household Food Security Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med, January 1, 2005; 159(1): 51 - 56. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 L. L Kaiser, M. S Townsend, H. R Melgar-Quinonez, M. L Fujii, and P. B Crawford Choice of instrument influences relations between food insecurity and obesity in Latino women Am. J. Clinical Nutrition, November 1, 2004; 80(5): 1372 - 1378. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
J. E. Stuff, P. H. Casey, K. L. Szeto, J. M. Gossett, J. M. Robbins, P. M. Simpson, C. Connell, and M. L. Bogle Household Food Insecurity Is Associated with Adult Health Status J. Nutr., September 1, 2004; 134(9): 2330 - 2335. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
C. A. Oberholser and C. R. Tuttle Assessment of Household Food Security Among Food Stamp Recipient Families in Maryland Am J Public Health, May 1, 2004; 94(5): 790 - 795. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
J. R. Sharkey Risk and Presence of Food Insufficiency Are Associated with Low Nutrient Intakes and Multimorbidity among Homebound Older Women Who Receive Home-Delivered Meals J. Nutr., November 1, 2003; 133(11): 3485 - 3491. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
