Olson et al & McCurdy et al

McCurdy et al and Olson et al both focus on poverty associated food insecurity in children and obesity trends. Food insecurity is defined as limited or uncertain access to sufficient and nutritious food as a result from financial or social constraints that prevent the attainment of adequate food in socially acceptable ways.  Whereas approximately 11% of U.S. households report household food insecurity, 40% of poor households with young children (under age 6) had experienced food insecurity during the previous 12-month period. Meanwhile, studies report that between 31% and 33% of low-income preschool-aged children are overweight or obese, with sex-specific BMI-for-age at or above the 85th percentile, as compared to 24% of U.S. preschoolers in the general population.  However, correlation does not imply causation, so the direct link between low socioeconomic class and obesity mentioned in McCurdy et al is “iffy” at best. Olson et al combats this by suggesting that children living in poverty are more susceptible to obesity in adulthood.  Many studies have shown that socioeconomic disadvantage in childhood is positively associated with increased risk of obesity in adulthood. The three mechanisms identified that justify this association are: class-biased health care delivery during the early years that set up long-standing health inequalities; social class-related differences in parenting practices; and social class-related stressors in early life that alter biological systems to produce long-lasting health differences. While Olson et al has a phenomenal approach to understanding the effects of childhood poverty and subsequent adult obesity, the study was only able to recruit 30 women and their families to participate in the study. Olson et al goes on to state, “growing up poor was not significantly associated with current food insecurity. In addition, current food insecurity was not associated with increased risk of overweight or obesity. We did some additional analysis with obesity as the outcome and it also was not associated with food insecurity. Our findings are not consistent with the literatures that show a positive association between food insecurity and overweight and obesity.” While rising poverty levels and obesity rates reaching epidemic proportions are certainly problems we need to face as a nation, the connection that one causes the other simply is not there. How, though, can we combat both at the same time on a fiscal level? Could we raise the minimum wage and subsidize healthier foods to lower costs and raise demand?