Hunger in America

Brown, Jay C.; Allen, Deborah

doi:10.1146/annurev.pu.09.050188.002443

Cited by 23 publications

(6 citation statements)

References 9 publications

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“…More than 100 patients (19%) in our study who reported incomes of less than $10 000 per year did not receive food stamps in the preceding year, reflecting national data that half of the households living in poverty do not receive food stamps. 20 The food stamp program is the United States' largest provider of food aid and is a major target of welfare reform. 11 Half of the cost savings in the current welfare reform legislation are expected to come from decreased federal funding for food and nutrition programs, with an estimated decrease of $26.2 billion over the next 4 years.…”

Section: Commentmentioning

confidence: 99%

Hunger in an Adult Patient Population

Nelson¹

1998

JAMA

117

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Context.-Although clinical observations suggest that some patients experience hunger and food insecurity, there are limited data on the prevalence of hunger in adult patients.Objective.-To determine the prevalence of hunger and food insecurity in adult patients at an urban county hospital.Design.-Cross-sectional survey conducted in 1997.Patients.-The primary survey included all patients aged 18 years or older who were admitted to the medicine, surgery, and neurology services during a 2-week period, and all patients who attended the hospital's general medicine clinic during 1 week. A second survey included primary care patients who received insulin from the hospital pharmacy during a 1-month period.Main Outcome Measures.-Rates of hunger and food insecurity.Results.-Of 709 eligible patients, 567 (participation rate, 80%) were interviewed in either the clinic (n=281) or hospital (n=286). An additional 170 patients who received insulin were interviewed by telephone (response rate, 75%). Of the primary sample, 68 (12%) respondents reported not having enough food, 75 (13%) reported not eating for an entire day, and 77 (14%) reported going hungry but not eating because they could not afford food. A total of 222 (40%) had received food stamps in the previous year and of those, 113 (50%) had their food stamps reduced or eliminated. Compared to those who had never received food stamps or had no reduction in food stamps, recipients whose food stamps had been eliminated or reduced were more likely to report not having enough food (10% vs 13% vs 18%, P = .006), not eating for a whole day (10% vs 16% vs 20%, P = .01), going hungry but not eating (11% vs 16 vs 20%, P = .08), and cutting down on the size of meals or skipping meals (20% vs 27% vs 33%, P = .01). In multivariate analysis, independent predictors of hunger included an annual income of less than $10 000 (odds ratio [OR], 7.55; 95% CI, 3.01-18.92), drug use (OR, 3.56; 95% CI,, and a reduction in food stamp benefits (OR, 1.73; 95% CI, 1.01-2.96). Predictors of food insecurity included an annual income of less than $10 000 (OR, 4.12; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.98-8.58), drug use (OR, 2.11; 95% CI, 1.66-5.08), and a reduction in food stamps (OR, 2.02; 95% CI, 1.23-3.32). In addition, 103 (61%) patients in the sample of diabetics reported hypoglycemic reactions; 32 (31%) of these were attributed to inability to afford food.Conclusion.-Hunger and food insecurity are common among patients seeking care at an urban county hospital.

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Section: Commentmentioning

confidence: 99%

Hunger in an Adult Patient Population

Nelson¹

1998

JAMA

117

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“…Hunger is defined by Allen (1990:924) as "the physiological manifestations of acute, current food shortage such as that which occurs when a child is deprived of a meal." A number of food supplementation programs address this issue, including WIC, the School Lunch Program, and the School Breakfast Program (Brown and Allen, 1988;Brown and Gershoff, 1989). Several studies listed in Table 8 consider these programs and their significance for school achievement.…”

Section: Growth Of Children In Poverty In the U Smentioning

confidence: 99%

American children at risk: Poverty and its consequences for children's health, growth, and school achievement

Crooks

1995

Am. J. Phys. Anthropol.

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In the United States, over 39 million people live in poverty. Although poverty affects all groups, it disproportionately affects those whose access to coping resources is most limited, i.e., ethnic minorities and children. Since the 1970s, poverty rates have risen steadily in this country, especially for children. Today more than 15 million poor American children face immediate and life-long risk to health, growth, and school achievement. This review considers risk in these areas and finds that poor children, especially African-American children, experience increased prevalence of low birthweight, chronic illness, and lead poisoning, with reduced levels and quality of healthcare. At the same time, poor children exhibit higher rates of low stature, particularly Mexican-American children, and overweight. Poor health and poor growth are likely to lead to poor school achievement via deficits in cognitive functioning, behavior and activity, and increased absenteeism and school failure. Biological anthropologists are in a unique position to contribute to the research on poor children in the U.S and to assist in clarifying the complex pattern that leads to intergenerational poverty. To this end, a number of areas are identified where additional and/or continued research is needed. o

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“…Voluntary physical activity tends to be low in poor families, es pecially in women. Because of their high nutrient needs, children and adoles cents among the poor are especially vulnerable (20). The presence of disease or disability increases nutritional risk.…”

Section: Socially Disabled Adolescentsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Steps to alleviate malnutrition in poor adolescents include setting a federal floor for Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) benefits, strengthening federal standards in poverty programs , improving state "safety net" programs for the poor, especially poor families, and placing the emergency food programs on a more permanent basis (20).…”

Section: Socially Disabled Adolescentsmentioning

confidence: 99%