In low-income families, children do not have access to sufficient food and a balanced diet. According to a new study, these children are at risk of having health problems in the future, but not necessarily of becoming obese.
The lower a family’s income, the more difficult it is to eat properly. First in the right quantities, but also in a balanced way. This food insecurity has the greatest impact on the health of young children growing up in these disadvantaged homes.
On the other hand, a new study carried out by researchers from the Maryland School of Medicine (United States) and published in the journal Pediatricsbreaks the received idea that a child from a poor and food insecure family is more likely to be obese than a child with access to healthy food.
The researchers analyzed data from 28,184 children under the age of four, from low-income households and five american cities.
From 2 to 3 years old, children are at risk of obesity
According to their results, food insecurity is indeed not associated with a higher risk of obesity. With one exception. Children between two and three years old were exposed to a 24% higher risk of obesity. “I don’t know what to make of this discovery,” admits Dr. Maureen Black. “This may be the time when toddlers first try adult foods, which in food insecure households can be inexpensive and low nutrient dense foods. In addition, the inclination or reluctance to try new foods peaks during this time, and can then lead to overeating of fast food.”
Health problems growing up
In previous studies on the subject, children were not classified by age. This may have masked some differences in development and vulnerability. This study nevertheless puts highlighting a steady increase in obesity rates as the children grew: about 13% of children aged 1 to 2 were obese, compared to almost 24% of children aged 3 to 4.
“Childhood obesity remains a persistent problem in our country and we know it leads to the earlier onset of hypertension and type 2 diabetes. These once rare conditions now occur regularly in children. adolescents,” says E. Albert Reece, one of the study’s authors. “More public health efforts need to be made to ensure that children in low-income communities get the nutrition they need.”
.
