Although they live in a wealthy nation, 13 million children in America live in households with uncertain or limited access to food. The majority of these children are white and have at least one parent who is working; nearly half live in two-parent families. Food hardships are even more pronounced among certain groups of children: about 30% of Black and Hispanic children, and over 40% of low-income children live in households that do not have access to nutritionally adequate diets for an active, healthy life. According to growing scientific evidence, hunger and food insecurity among children are significant risk factors for poorer health, diminished psychological well- being, higher levels of behavioral problems, and lower academic achievement.
Childhood hunger and food insecurity are linked to a number of health problems that can impede normal growth and development. These include:
Poorer overall health: Studies indicate that children who live in households lacking access to sufficient food are more likely to be in poorer health than children from other households.
Compromised ability to resist illness and elevated occurrence of health problems: Food-insecure children are more susceptible to certain infections and illnesses, including iron deficiency anemia, sore throats, colds, stomach aches, headaches, ear infections, and fatigue.
Greater incidence of hospitalization and frequent doctor visits: Compared to their peers, hungry and food-insecure children are more likely to have been hospitalized since birth and to make frequent doctor visits.
Recent studies indicate that children in food-insecure and hungry households experience more psychological and emotional distress. Food hardships have been shown to adversely affect children�s well-being in the following ways:
Increased behavioral problems: Food insecure children exhibit higher levels of aggressive and oppositional behaviors (hyperactivity, aggression, irritability, anxiety) as well as more withdrawn and distressed behavior.
Difficulty getting along with other children: Impaired psychosocial functioning associated with food insufficiency has been linked to social difficulties such as getting along with peers and making friends.
Increased need for special services: Food-insufficient children are more likely to have received mental health counseling and educational services than their non-hungry peers.
Even mild to moderate malnutrition can be a developmental risk factor for children. In particular, undernutrition can limit a child�s ability to grasp basic skills and can diminish concentration and overall learning potential. Recent research provides evidence of the following impacts:
Lower test scores and poorer overall school achievement: Children from households that report food insufficiency generally do not perform as well on tests of academic achievement as children from food-sufficient households.
Repeating a grade in school: Elementary school-aged children from food-insufficient families are more likely to have repeated a grade in school.
Increased school absences and tardiness: Elementary school-aged children from food-insufficient families are more likely to have increased school absences and higher rates of tardiness, factors that can ultimately affect overall academic performance.
Higher risk of school suspension: A recent study found that food-insufficient teenagers were almost twice as likely to be suspended from school.
