Food insufficiency in urban Latino families.

Full Abstract

National level data show food insecurity/insufficiency is more common in Latino families than the dominant population, however local ethnic rates aren't often available, nor have there been many studies of food insufficiency/insecurity among Latino ethnic groups. This study presents food insufficiency data from three low income immigrant Latino Chicago communities. Data were collected as part of a larger study of ethnic Latino differences in health and nutrition attitudes/behaviors and child health services use. Face to face interviews were conducted with 320 mothers of Latino children entering school for the first time (mean age 5.5 years). Food insufficiency questions from the Radimer/Cornell and NHANES III instruments were used. Participants were 70% Mexican, 22% Puerto Rican and 8% other Latino, reflecting Chicago Latino distribution. Thirty percent (n = 96) reported household food insufficiency, although most was worry about obtaining food, and was due to lack of money or Food Stamps. Some families experienced more severe food access problems, namely adults and children skipping meals, and adults or children going without food for an entire day. Puerto Rican families reported more severe food insufficiency than Mexican families, but there were few other ethnic differences. Only 30% of these low income food insufficient families were Food Stamp participants although 90% of the children received school meals. These data point to the need for better screening and program outreach for low income, immigrant Latino families.

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Author information

Author/s: Chávez, Noel (N); Telleen, Sharon (S); Kim, Young Ok Rhee (YO);

Affiliation: Community Health Sciences Division, School of Public Health, University of Illinois at Chicago, 1603 W. Taylor, MC 923, Chicago, IL 60612, USA. nchavez(-atsign-)uic.edu

Grants: MCJ 17080 (Agency:PHS HHS)

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Journal Article; Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

Journal: Journal of immigrant and minority health / Center for Minority Public Health (J Immigr Minor Health), published in United States. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2007-Jul; vol 9 (issue 3) : pp 197-204

Dates: Created 2007/03/06; Completed 2007/05/01; Revised 2007/12/03;

PMID: 17295051, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 12/26/2008)

Sourced from the National Library of Medicine. Abstract text and other information may be subject to copyright.

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MeSH headings (categories)

This article was linked to the MESH Headings shown below.

Adult
Chicago - epidemiology
Child, Preschool
Emigration and Immigration - statistics & numerical data
Family Health - ethnology
Food Supply
Health Surveys

Hispanic Americans - statistics & numerical data
Humans
Malnutrition - epidemiology; ethnology
Nutritional Status - ethnology
Poverty - ethnology
Questionnaires
Urban Health - statistics & numerical data

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