OBJECTIVES: To assess the prevalence and identify the predictors of food insecurity among households in Los Angeles County with incomes below 300% of the federal poverty level. METHODS: The Six-Item Short Form of the US Department of Agriculture's Household Food Security Scale was used as part of a 1999 county-wide, population-based, telephone survey. RESULTS: The prevalence of food insecurity was 24.4% and was inversely associated with household income. Other independent predictors of food insecurity included the presence of children in the household (odds ratio (OR) 1.7, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.2-2.3) and a history of homelessness in the past five years (OR 5.6, 95% CI 3.4-9.4). CONCLUSION: Food insecurity is a significant public health problem among low-income households in Los Angeles County. Food assistance programmes should focus efforts on households living in and near poverty, those with children, and those with a history of homelessness.
OBJECTIVES: To assess the prevalence and identify the predictors of food insecurity among households in Los Angeles County with incomes below 300% of the federal poverty level. METHODS: The Six-Item Short Form of the US Department of Agriculture's Household Food Security Scale was used as part of a 1999 county-wide, population-based, telephone survey. RESULTS: The prevalence of food insecurity was 24.4% and was inversely associated with household income. Other independent predictors of food insecurity included the presence of children in the household (odds ratio (OR) 1.7, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.2-2.3) and a history of homelessness in the past five years (OR 5.6, 95% CI 3.4-9.4). CONCLUSION: Food insecurity is a significant public health problem among low-income households in Los Angeles County. Food assistance programmes should focus efforts on households living in and near poverty, those with children, and those with a history of homelessness.
Authors: Sara A Quandt; John I Shoaf; Janeth Tapia; Mercedes Hernández-Pelletier; Heather M Clark; Thomas A Arcury Journal: J Nutr Date: 2006-10 Impact factor: 4.798
Authors: Sheri D Weiser; Edward A Frongillo; Kathleen Ragland; Robert S Hogg; Elise D Riley; David R Bangsberg Journal: J Gen Intern Med Date: 2008-10-25 Impact factor: 5.128
Authors: Katie A McLaughlin; Jennifer Greif Green; Margarita Alegría; E Jane Costello; Michael J Gruber; Nancy A Sampson; Ronald C Kessler Journal: J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry Date: 2012-11-06 Impact factor: 8.829