Food insecurity and dietary factors underlying overweight and obesity risk in households of the Universal Child Allowance

Abstract

Abstract: 

Introduction: Social groups living in poverty and food insecurity (FI) are exposed to suffer from excessive malnutrition.

Aim: To analyze the connection between alimentary situation of the household and dietary factors underlying overweight and obesity risk in households of the Universal Child Allowance 1(AUH) in 2Barrio Estación Flores, Córdoba capital, Argentina, 2020.

Materials and methods: Observational, descriptive, correlational and cross-sectional study. Population: Total amount of households of the AUH (N=284). Probabilistic sample: 164 homes (3CI: 95%). Informed consent was granted by each participant and the principles of the Declaration of Helsinki were respected. A half-structured ad hoc designed questionnaire was applied and subjected to a pilot test. Socio-demographic, economic and alimentary variables were investigated. Alimentary situation of the household was categorized into food security (FS) and 3 levels of FI according to FAO, 2012. Considered factors underlying overweight and obesity risk were: food diversity (according to FAO, 2013) and food consumption profile (resulting from the application of a food frequency questionnaire). The latter originated two categories: one with predominance of high nutritional density food, and another with predominance of its opposite. The calculation between the proportion and CI (95%) determined the prevalence of FI. The Chi-squared test and the Spearman´s rank correlation coefficient established the connection between variables, which assumed a level of significance of 4p<0.05.

Results: As for the sample´s total amount, 81% showed some level of FI; homes with low alimentary diversity (76%) and predominance in consumption of low nutritional density food (72%) took precedence. The connection between FI and diet´s diversity turned out to be statistically significant (p<0.05) showing a negative correlation (the greater the FI, the lesser the nutritional diversity). The connection between the FI and the alimentary consumption profile was equally significant (p<0.05). However, it showed a positive correlation (the greater the FI, the greater the consumption of low nutritional density food).

Conclusion: The FI experienced in households of the AUH boosts the presence of dietary factors, included in the analysis, underlying overweight and obesity risk.

[Translator´s notes]

1 Asignación Universal por Hijo/a – Spanish translation for Universal Child Allowance

2 Neighborhood in Córdoba capital

3 Confidence interval