Being worried about not having enough food to feed one’s family, a situation called food insecurity, is common in low-income families. These families often are overweight, too.
The low-income mothers, who are currently experiencing food insecurity are more likely to worry that their children are eating too much food and tended to offer smaller portion sizes to their children than mothers not currently experiencing food insecurity. Mothers who are overweight are more than twice as likely to have overweight children than mothers who are not overweight.
“Understanding the reasons why poverty puts families at greater risk of obesity is essential to addressing the epidemic,” said study lead author Rachel Gross, MD, MS, FAAP, assistant professor in the Department of Pediatrics at Albert Einstein College of Medicine and The Children’s Hospital at Montefiore in New York.
Dr. Gross and her colleagues at the New York University School of Medicine and Bellevue Hospital Center, interviewed 201 low-income mothers with infants younger than 6 months about their feeding styles (whether they tried to control how much the child ate), feeding practices (e.g., breastfeeding, adding cereal to bottles) and concerns about their child becoming overweight. Studies have shown that feeding patterns leading to obesity often begin in infancy.
The mothers primarily were Hispanic, and all participated in the Special Supplemental Food Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC).
Results showed that about one-third of the mothers reported food insecurity.
“We found that food insecurity is related to controlling feeding practices, which have been shown to increase child obesity,” Dr. Gross said. “These controlling feeding practices involved both restriction, in which parents limit the infant’s intake even if the infant is hungry, and pressuring, in which the parent encourages the infant to eat more even if the infant is full.”
It is believed that when mothers control what an infant eats, it may disrupt the child’s ability to regulate his or her own hunger and fullness, leading to overeating and inappropriate weight gain, Dr. Gross explained.
Food-insecure mothers also were more concerned about their child becoming overweight than mothers who weren’t worried about having enough food for their families.
“This work suggests that in addition to addressing hunger and malnutrition, it is critical that policy efforts be made to work with food-insecure families to prevent the opposite problem – obesity,” Dr. Gross said. The study has been accepted for publication in Pediatrics.”
While excess weight is a concern across nearly all age levels, the emergence of pediatric overweight at earlier childhood ages is of particular concern due to its association with type 2 diabetes and chronic disease risk. Rates of excess weight and obesity are higher within low-income populations. Paradoxically, this is the same socio-demographic group that is affected by food insecurity
341756 526085Pretty section of content. I just stumbled upon your weblog and in accession capital to assert that I get in fact enjoyed account your blog posts. Any way I will be subscribing to your augment and even I achievement you access consistently swiftly. 721919
683173 729745There is noticeably a bundle to learn about this. I assume you made specific good points in features also. 373608
43313 191236I discovered your internet site website online and check several of your early posts. Maintain on the top notch operate. I just now additional your Feed to my MSN News Reader. Seeking for forward to reading a lot a lot more from you discovering out later on! 425971
242888 817989Hey, you used to write amazing, but the last several posts have been kinda boring I miss your tremendous writings. Past few posts are just a bit bit out of track! come on! 877505
881079 209597Cool text dude, maintain up the very good function, just shared this with the mates 646900
739816 71659Howdy just wanted to give you a brief heads up and let you know a couple of with the pictures arent loading properly. Im not sure why but I think its a linking concern. Ive tried it in two different web browsers and both show exactly the same outcome. 537931
162467 566984Cpr KIts very great read you know alot about this subject i see! 996662
409748 681143Terrific paintings! That will be the type of info that are meant to be shared about the net. Shame on the seek for no longer positioning this publish higher! Come on over and consult with my internet site . Thank you =) 257743
607883 620015hey excellent website i will definaely come back and see once again. 304521
41871 709033Following study a couple of with the content inside your internet site now, we genuinely such as your technique of blogging. I bookmarked it to my bookmark web site list and will also be checking back soon. Pls have a look at my web-site likewise and make me aware what you believe. 923580
365288 556273We clean up on completion. This might sound obvious but not a lot of a plumber in Sydney does. We wear uniforms and always treat your home or workplace with respect. 544150
848486 765295I was trying to find this. Genuinely refreshing take on the data. Thanks a whole lot. 12208
522396 166101Sweet internet site , super style , truly clean and utilize genial . 58113
899922 553341I got what you intend, saved to fav, extremely nice internet site . 328900
9915 77115Usually I dont read this kind of stuff, but this was truly interesting! 353123
497631 453700Hi there! Good stuff, please do tell me when you lastly post something like this! 404246
534088 134855i was just surfing along and came upon your weblog. just wanted to say very good job and this post truly helped me. 213314
266477 695314Sounds like some thing lots of baby boomers ought to study. The feelings of neglect are there in a lot of levels when a single is more than the hill. 113117
23640 960033Glad to be 1 of many visitants on this awing web website : D. 23596
503798 432640An attention-grabbing dialogue is value comment. Im confident that its much better to write on this subject, towards the often be a taboo subject but typically persons are not sufficient to speak on such topics. To another location. Cheers 55142
819027 278666Its perfect time to make some plans for the future and it is time to be happy. Ive read this post and if I could I wish to suggest you some interesting items or suggestions. Possibly you can write next articles referring to this article. I want to read even more points about it! 38787
405887 719832Id should verify with you here. Which isnt one thing I often do! I get pleasure from reading a put up that will make individuals think. Moreover, thanks for allowing me to comment! 164430
420383 849902 There is noticeably a bundle to know about this. I assume you made certain good points in features also. 188566