Food insecurity across the first five years: Triggers of onset and exit

• Published in: Children and youth services review 2015-06, Vol.53, p.24-33
• Main Authors: Jacknowitz, Alison, Morrissey, Taryn, Brannegan, Andrew
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Childhood; Children; Food insecurity; Food Security; Health; Income; Mothers; Transitions
• ISSN: 0190-7409; 1873-7765
• DOI: 10.1016/j.childyouth.2015.03.012

Very low food security among young children is associated with developmental deficiencies. However, little is known about the factors that predict entry into or exit from very low food security during early childhood. This study seeks to: (1) understand the triggers that explain movements into or out of very low food security among children from birth to age five; (2) examine the first aim using different definitions of food insecurity. The analysis relies on the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study — Birth Cohort (ECLS-B), a longitudinal, nationally representative dataset of approximately 10,700 children, to estimate linear probability models. Results suggest that residential moves and declines in maternal or child health are associated with transitioning into food insecurity, whereas increases in the number of adults in the household are associated with exits from food insecurity. Changes in income and maternal depression are associated with both entrances and exits. •This study investigated the triggers or shocks that explain entry into and exit from food insecurity among young children.•Changes in income and maternal depression are associated with transitioning into and out of food insecurity.•Declines in health and moves predicted entry into food insecurity and more adults predicted exit from food insecurity.