Household food insecurity and childhood obesity/overweight among children with special healthcare needs: Results from a nationally representative sample of 10–17 years old U.S. children
Authors' conclusion
It appears that food insecurity can put CSHCN at disproportionately greater risk of obesity or overweight than non-CSHCN. The findings underscore considering CSHCN status in conjunction with household food insecurity in designing and implementing medical interventions or public policies targeted at childhood obesity or overweight.
Study context
- Population
- Noninstitutionalized U.S. children aged 10 to 17 years, National Survey of Children's Health (NSCH) 2016 to 2019
- Participants
- 68,942 children
- Exposure
- Children with special healthcare needs (CSHCN) vs non-CSHCN; food insecurity and food insufficiency vs food-secure families
- Outcome
- Odds of childhood obesity or overweight
Methodological detailsnationally representative, pooled 2016 to 2019 NSCH data, logistic regression with interaction between family food situation and CSHCN status
- Nationally representative
- Pooled 2016 to 2019 NSCH data
- Logistic regression with interaction between family food situation and CSHCN status
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Obesity or overweight
Odds ratio (95% CI)
Food insecurityvs Food-secure
1.75(1.52–1.92)
Food insufficiencyvs Food-secure
2(1.67–2.4)
- Between CSHCN and Non-CSHCN · CSHCN more likely to be impacted
- OR 1.29 (95% CI 1.18–1.141)
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
Prevalence among 10-17 years old U.S. children
- Obesity or overweight
- 31% (95% CI 30.1%-31.9%)
- Special healthcare needs
- 24.1%
- From families with food insecurity
- 27.2%
- From families with food insufficiency
- 6.4%
Original publication
Household food insecurity and childhood obesity/overweight among children with special healthcare needs: Results from a nationally representative sample of 10–17 years old U.S. children. Pediatr Obes. Published 24 February 2023. doi:10.
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