Article Figures & Data
Tables
- Table 1. Comparison of Adults’ Perception of Children’s Behavior and Corresponding Child Self-Reported Survey Items
Item Type Adult Survey Item Child Survey Item Food insecurity:
adult self-reportWithin the past 12 months: N/A (a) I worried whether our food would run out before we got money to buy more. (b) the food we bought just didn’t last, and we didn’t have money to get more. Food insecurity:
adult report for child vs child self-reportWithin the past 12 months, how often do you think the child: Think about the past year. How many times did you: 1 worried whether food would run out before the family got money to buy more? 1 get scared that your family would run out of food? N/A 2 run out of food at your house because of money? 2 ate less food than they wanted in order to help make the food supply last? 3 eat a smaller meal than you wanted to help save food? Think about how the child is every day. How often do you think the child feels the following things? Think about how you feel most days. How often do you feel each of these things? Food-related concerns 3 Worry that he/she won’t get to eat a meal. 4 I worry that I won’t get to eat a meal. 4 Can’t stop thinking about when he/she will eat. 5 I can’t stop thinking about when I will eat. 5 Hides food so that he/she can eat it later. 6 I hide food so that I can eat it later. Generalized anxiety symptoms 6 Worry that something bad will happen to him/her. 7 I worry that something bad will happen to me. 7 Has stomach pains when he/she is upset. 8 When I am upset, my stomach hurts. Obsessions and compulsions 8 Can’t get bad or silly thoughts out of his/her head. 9 I can’t get bad or silly thoughts out of my head. 9 Has to do some things over and over again. 10 I have to do some things over and over again. Over the last 2 weeks, how often have you been bothered by the following problems? N/A Adult depression 10 I had little interest or pleasure in doing things. 11 I felt down, depressed, or hopeless. Over the last two weeks, how often do you think the child has been bothered by the following problems? Think about the past two weeks. Child depression 12 The child had little interest or pleasure in doing things. 11 How often did you feel like nothing is fun? 13 The child felt down, depressed, or hopeless. 12 How often did you feel sad or down? N/A, not applicable
Variable Value Age, years, mean ± SD 37.4 ± 10.36 Number of adults in household, mean ± SD 1.24 ± 1.03 Number of children in household, mean ± SD 2.79 ± 1.30 Relationship to child Mother 51 (88) Grandmother 5 (9) Father 1 (2) Missing 1 (2) Race African American 44 (76) Caucasian 8 (14) Other 5 (9) Missing 1 (2) Education level Master’s/doctoral degree 2 (3) Bachelor’s degree 8 (14) Some college 28 (48) Other postsecondary training 3 (5) High school diploma 17 (29) Food assistance program None 24 (41) WIC, SNAP, or both 32 (55) Food bank only 2 (3) Annual household income <$20,000 24 (41) $20,000-$40,000 23 (40) $40,001-$60,000 7 (12) >$60,001 2 (3) Missing 2 (3) Data are presented as n (%) unless otherwise indicated.
Total percentages are subject to rounding error.
SNAP, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program; WIC, Women, Infants, and Children nutrition program.
- Table 3. Comparison of Adult and Child Self-Reports of Food Insecurity, Worry, and Conservation Variables
Survey Variable Concordance/Nonconcordance Overall, n (%) WIC/SNAP Users, n (%) WIC/SNAP Nonusers, n (%) Adult self-reported food insecurity status vs child self-reported food insecurity status Adult-child agreement 37 (64) 20 (63) 17 (65) Adult overestimate 14 (24) 9 (28) 5 (19) Adult underestimate 7 (12) 3 (9) 4 (15) Adult report of child food worry vs child self-reported food worrya Adult-child agreement 34 (60) 18 (56) 16 (64) Adult overestimate 8 (14) 3 (9) 5 (20) Adult underestimate 15 (26) 11 (34) 4 (16) Adult report of child food conservation vs child self-reported food conservationa Adult-child agreement 34 (60) 16 (50) 18 (72) Adult overestimate 5 (9) 5 (16) 0 (0) Adult underestimate 18 (32) 11 (34) 7 (28) ↵a One data point is missing in the WIC/SNAP Nonusers group.
Total percentages are subject to rounding error.
SNAP, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program; WIC, Women, Infants, and Children nutrition program.
- Table 4. Comparison of Adult and Child Self-Reports of Food-Related Concerns and Symptoms of Depression, Anxiety, and Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
Survey Variable Concordance/Nonconcordance Overall, n (%) WIC/SNAP Users, n (%) WIC/SNAP Nonusers, n (%) Food-related concernsa Adult-child agreement 14 (25) 5 (16) 9 (36) Adult overestimate 15 (27) 11 (36) 4 (16) Adult underestimate 27 (48) 15 (48) 12 (48) Depression symptoms Adult-child agreement 24 (41) 12 (38) 12 (46) Adult overestimate 8 (14) 5 (16) 3 (12) Adult underestimate 26 (45) 15 (47) 11 (42) Generalized anxiety symptomsa Adult-child agreement 19 (34) 9 (29) 10 (40) Adult overestimate 4 (7) 3 (10) 1 (4) Adult underestimate 33 (59) 19 (61) 14 (56) OCD symptoms Adult-child agreement 15 (26) 6 (19) 9 (35) Adult overestimate 6 (10) 5 (16) 1 (4) Adult underestimate 37 (64) 21 (66) 16 (62) ↵a Data points are missing; valid percentages are reported.
Total percentages are subject to rounding error.
SNAP, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program; WIC, Women, Infants, and Children nutrition program.
- Table 5. Comparison of Concerns and Symptoms in Children from Food Insecure vs Non–Food Insecure Homes
Test Statistic Survey Variable, mean score ± SD Child-Reported Food Insecurity Child-Reported Non–Food Insecurity df t P Value Food-related concerns 4.76 ± 1.57 4.11 ± 1.26 Not significant Depression symptoms 3.86 ± 1.89 2.72 ± 1.03 43.4 −2.85 <0.01 Generalized anxiety symptoms 3.62 ± 1.01 2.79 ± 0.99 55 −3.14 <0.01 Obsessive-compulsive disorder symptoms 4.90 ± 1.57 3.41 ± 1.32 56 −3.89 <0.001