Food insecurity prominent among low-income California Latinos

Kaiser, L; Martin, A; Metz, D; Nicholson, Y; Fujii, M; Lamp, C; Townsend, M; Crawford, P; Melgar-Quiñonez, H

Food insecurity prominent among low-income California Latinos

Authors

Lucia L. Kaiser
Anna C. Martin
Diane L. Metz
Yvonne Nicholson
Mary Lavender Fujii
Cathi L. Lamp
Marilyn S. Townsend
Patricia B. Crawford
Hugo Melgar-Quiñonez

Authors Affiliations

L.L. Kaiser is Nutrition Specialist, Department of Nutrition, UC Davis; A.C. Martin is Nutrition, Family and Consumer Sciences Advisor, UC Cooperative Extension (UCCE) San Joaquin County; D.L. Metz is Nutrition, Family and Consumer Sciences Advisor, UCCE Solano County; Y. Nicholson is Nutrition, Family and Consumer Sciences Advisor, UCCE Sacramento County; M.L. Fujii is Nutrition, Family and Consumer Sciences Advisor, UCCE Contra Costa County; C.L. Lamp is Nutrition, Family and Consumer Sciences Advisor, UCCE Tulare County; M.S. Townsend is Nutrition Education Specialist, Department of Nutrition, UC Davis; P.B. Crawford is Nutrition Specialist, Department of Nutritional Sciences and Toxicology, UC Berkeley; H. Melgar-Quiñonez is Assistant Professor, Department of Human Nutrition, Ohio State University (formerly Postdoctoral Fellow in the Department of Nutrition, UC Davis).

Publication Information

Hilgardia 58(1):18-23. DOI:10.3733/ca.v058n01p18. January 2004.

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Abstract

Food security is defined as access by all people at all times to enough food for an active, healthy life. In a study of 212 low-income Latino households in California, 45% were food insecure without hunger; 13% food insecure with moderate hunger; and 3% food insecure with severe hunger. Food insecurity was associated with a decline in household supplies of both nutritious and less nutritious foods. Among preschool children, the number of servings per day of all food groups was significantly correlated with household food supplies. A strong safety net to improve food security in low-income populations must include educational strategies and provision of nutritious foods to support a good diet at home and away from home.

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