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Nutritional vulnerability among adults and children in food‐insecure households: a Canada‐U.S. comparison
Author(s) -
Kirkpatrick Sharon I,
Tarasuk Valerie,
Dodd Kevin W,
Garriguet Didier
Publication year - 2011
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.25.1_supplement.226.3
Subject(s) - environmental health , food security , vulnerability (computing) , poverty , food fortification , national health and nutrition examination survey , public health , psychological intervention , food insecurity , population , malnutrition , supplemental nutrition assistance program , medicine , agriculture , geography , gerontology , economic growth , economics , computer security , archaeology , computer science , nursing , pathology , psychiatry
The routine monitoring of food insecurity in affluent nations provides an indicator of nutritional vulnerability among the population and a means of assessing the impact of interventions to mitigate hunger and poverty. Using 24‐hour dietary recall data and 12‐month food security measures from the 2004 Canadian Community Health Survey and the 2003–2006 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, we applied the National Cancer Institute method to model usual nutrient intakes among individuals in food‐secure and food‐insecure households in Canada and the U.S. Higher prevalences of inadequacy were apparent among adults and older children in food‐insecure compared to food‐secure households for several nutrients of public health concern, including protein, vitamin A, folate, magnesium, and zinc, with some differences observed between the two countries. Cross‐country comparisons of the nutritional vulnerability of adults and children in food‐insecure households may shed light on the role that policies and programs, including food assistance and income support programs as well as agriculture and food fortification policies, play in mediating the effects of food insecurity on nutritional health.