Premium
Household food security status before pregnancy as a risk factor for delivering a low birthweight infant
Author(s) -
HromiFiedler Amber,
BermúdezMillán Angela,
Chapman Donna,
SeguraPérez Sofia,
Damio Grace,
MelgarQuiñonez Hugo,
PérezEscamilla Rafael
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.22.1_supplement.36.1
Subject(s) - socioeconomic status , food security , odds ratio , environmental health , pregnancy , medicine , confidence interval , logistic regression , low birth weight , demography , food insecurity , odds , low income , geography , socioeconomics , population , agriculture , economics , archaeology , pathology , sociology , biology , genetics
Little is know about the influence of household food security status on birth outcomes. Therefore, this study examined the relationship between household food security status and low birthweight among a sample of low income Latinas living in Hartford, Connecticut. Household food security status was assessed the year before pregnancy using a modified version of the U.S. Household Food Security Scale. Households were classified as food secure, mildly food insecure, moderately food insecure, or severely food insecure. Birthweight was dichotomized into low birthweight (< 2500 grams) and normal/high birthweight (> or = 2500 grams). Multivariate logistic regression evaluated risk factors for low birthweight. After adjusting for socioeconomic and demographic characteristics, moderate/severe household food insecurity before pregnancy (Odds Ratio=7.66; Confidence Interval=0.97−60.45; p=0.054), gaining less than the recommended weight during pregnancy (p=0.087), being U.S. born (p=0.033), and primiparity (p=0.090) were risk factors for delivering a low birthweight infant. These findings suggest household food insecurity status the year before pregnancy is an important determinant for delivering a low birthweight infant among Latinas. Funded by the Connecticut NIH EXPORT Center of Excellence for Eliminating Health Disparities among Latinos (NIH‐NCMHD Grant # P20MD0017650).