Timing, intensity, and duration of household food insecurity are associated with early childhood development in Kenya

This study examines the association between 3 dimensions of food insecurity (timing, intensity, and duration) and 3 domains of child development (gross motor, communication, and personal social). Longitudinal data from 303 households (n = 309 children) visited 9 times over 2 years were collected. Children in households experiencing severe food insecurity 3 months prior (timing) had significantly lower gross motor (β −0.14; 95% CI [0.27, −0.0033]; p = .045), communication (β −0.16; 95% CI [−0.30, −0.023]; p = .023), and personal social (β −0.20; 95% CI [−0.33, −0.073]; p = .002) Z‐scores, using lagged longitudinal linear models controlling for current food insecurity; these results were attenuated in full models, which included maternal education, household asset index, and child anthropometry. Children in households that experienced greater aggregate food insecurity over the past 2 years (intensity) had significantly lower gross motor (β −0.047; 95% CI [−0.077, −0.018]; p = .002), communication (β −0.042; 95% CI [−0.076, −0.0073]; p = .018), and personal social (β −0.042; 95% CI [−0.074, −0.010]; p = .010) Z‐scores; these results were also attenuated in full models. Children with more time exposed to food insecurity (duration) had significantly lower gross motor (β −0.050; 95% CI [−0.087, −0.012]; p = .010), communication (β −0.042; 95% CI [−0.086, 0.0013]; p = .057), and personal social (β −0.037...
Source: Maternal and Child Nutrition - Category: Nutrition Authors: Tags: ORIGINAL ARTICLE Source Type: research