The Impact of the Coronavirus on Child Food Insecurity

The Impact of the Coronavirus on Child Food Insecurity

Mohamad Reda

By, Tanziba Tahsina

In 2020 our nation faces a new crisis, the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. We would be remiss if we did not acknowledge that this release comes during very trying times, as COVID-19 threatens lives and livelihoods globally. While public health measures have protected citizens’ health, they have adversely impacted many of our neighbors economically. Using the updated Map the Meal Gap model and projections of unemployment and poverty, it was estimate that as many as 17 million more people may experience food insecurity due to COVID-19 in 2020. During this crisis, the charitable food system is even more critical to meeting the needs of families facing hunger.

  • Households with children are more likely to be food insecure. In 2018, 11.2 million children (1 in 7), lived in a food-insecure household.
  •   As closures caused by the coronavirus lead to a rise in unemployment and poverty, more people will experience food insecurity.
  •   A significant rise in unemployment over the year (+7.6 percentage points) and a corresponding rise in child poverty (+5.0 percentage points) would result in a total of 18.0 million children (1 in 4) experiencing food insecurity.

As closures and social distancing orders meant to limit spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) extend across the country, the impact is being felt in communities large and small. While changes taking place are disrupting the lives of nearly everyone in some way, food-insecure individuals – who numbered over 37 million (11.5%), including over 11 million children, in 20181 – will face particular challenges. With unemployment soaring – approximately 22 million workers filed for unemployment benefits within the last four weeks2 – the number of people who experience food insecurity is likely already increasing.

reference: 

feedingamerica.org

Hunger: Its Impact on Children’s Health and Mental Health

Hunger: Its Impact on Children’s Health and Mental Health

Mohamad Reda

by, Marina Makhaly

This public awareness campaign for food insecurity helps to solve the problem and its goal is to have zero hungry kids. Many kids may not have consistent access to enough food for an active, healthy life in the United States. Food insecurity is an essential problem in America as is discussed in the study, “Hunger: Its Impact on Children’s Health and Mental Health”. This study examines the independent contribution of child hunger on children’s physical and mental health and academic functioning when controlling for a range of environmental, maternal, and child factors that have also been associated with poor outcomes among children.

This study illustrates the impact of hunger on physical and mental health and academic functioning of children. The average income of families that participated was approximately $11, 000. The data were collected from homeless and low-income housed mothers and their children preschool-aged children and school-aged children. The families were classified into 3 categories: no hunger, adult or moderate child hunger, or severe childhood hunger based on the Hunger Identification Project. Outcomes measured included children’s chronic health condition count using questions adapted from the National Health Interview Survey, Child Health Supplement, and internalizing behavior problems and anxiety. Multivariate regression analyses examined the effect of child hunger on physical and mental health outcomes. Among the school-aged children, on average 10 years old, 50% experienced moderate child hunger, and 16% severe child hunger.

Results of compared with those with no hunger, school-aged children with severe hunger were more likely to be homeless (56% vs 29%), have low birth weights (23% vs 6%), and have more stressful life events (9 vs 6) when compared with those with no hunger. School-aged children with severe hunger scores had parent-reported anxiety scores that were more than double the scores for children with no hunger and significantly higher chronic illness counts (3.4 vs 1.8) and internalizing behavior problems when compared with children with no hunger.

How lack of food affects children’s educational performance

How lack of food affects children’s educational performance

Mohamad Reda

By, Mohamad Reda

Food and water are main essentials for our bodies to function daily. Lack of food consumption and water can affect a child’s everyday performance drastically. Getting enough nutrients in our bodies increases the blood flow to our brains, which develops better concentration and also helps us work faster. This is because food is our main source of energy; our body uses glucose from our food, mainly good carbohydrates, to burn in order for us to take part in our lives. Children in particular are affected more than adults, because they need the essential daily vitamins to be able to learn, play and grow.

A study has shown that children who are malnourished develop long term neural issues, delayed fine motor skills, visual impairment, lack of focus and behavioral issues inside and outside of schools. Children being malnourished also impacts their sleep behavior and routine. This is due to them not getting enough nutrients to release a hormone responsible for sleeping. Children who do not eat and drink enough water become very jittery throughout the day and night causing them to have restless sleep. What we put into our children’s bodies matter just as much. For example, if a child is only consuming snacks, chips, candy and ice cream this will keep them up at night. The high amount of sugar and saturated fats intake is the consumption of empty calories with minimal nutrition. Lack of sleep is another reason why children can perform poorly in school and have a hard time focusing and paying attention.

How lack of food impacts mental health and physical health

How lack of food impacts mental health and physical health

Mohamad Reda

by, Briana Deutou

Food insecurity has been proven to reap adverse effects on children including the following: increased developmental risk, lower physical function, lower psychosocial function, lower motor and mental development, and mental health problems among many others. Food insecurity which is the experience of not knowing where your next meal is coming from is inherently stressful. So much so that food insecurity which has proven to be a persistent concern in high-income countries, has been shown to be a marker of poor mental health among females with studies identifying associations with mood and anxiety disorders and suicidal ideation. Mental health problems in both mothers and children are more common when mothers are food insecure.

In a recent experiment, dyads of parents and children ages 8-17 years old attending medical appointments were surveyed about food insecurity in order to assess the convergence of parent and child reports on food insecurity and several specific mental health symptoms. When parents were asked about their child worrying about food running out or eating less than desired to preserve food, the adult and child reports diverged significantly, with adults frequently underestimating the worry and conservation behaviors compared to child self-reports. Similar differences were found when adults and children were probed for specific symptoms of depression, general anxiety, and obsessive-compulsive disorder. Along with symptoms of depression, general anxiety, and obsessive-compulsive disorder, children from households exhibit persistent hyperactivity and inattention, and more emotional, peer, and conduct problems. Food insecurity, for the reasons shown above and more, has proven itself essential to pediatric health and should be of interest to any caregiver or pediatrician serving patients who are demographically at a higher risk for food insecurity.