The study unveiled by the National Institute of Health and Medical Research (Inserm) focused on 2,120 Canadian children who lived in families in a situation of food insecurity between their 1 and a half and four and a half years. Children’s mental health symptoms were assessed by measuring their behaviors at 4 ½, 5, 6 and 8 years old.
Food insecurity creates mental disorders
Food insecurity (which can be defined as questionable access to sufficient, balanced and nutritious food) is associated with psychological difficulties in children. It is due to a financial deficit of the family who either does not eat enough, or always the same poorly nutritious and balanced foods.
Children who grow up in these food insecure families are twice as likely to be hyperactive and have attention deficit disorder as others.
The researchers claim that “tackling these food insecure situations in families could help reduce the burden of mental health problems in school-aged children and reduce social inequalities in development“. Food insecurity has already been blamed for the overweight and obesity of children.
