Georgetown University.
University of Virginia.
Child Dev. 2018 Mar;89(2):e1-e17. doi: 10.1111/cdev.12764. Epub 2017 Mar 21.
Using nationally representative data on a recent birth cohort of U.S.-born children in low-income households (n = 2,800-3,700), this study investigates associations between the timing and intensity of early childhood food insecurity and children's kindergarten reading, math, and social-emotional outcomes. Descriptive patterns reveal that approximately 20% of low-income 0- to 5-year-old children reside in food-insecure households. Food insecurity experienced during early childhood is unfavorably associated with social-emotional outcomes in kindergarten, controlling for household income and prior assessments of child social-emotional skills. Results are less consistent for cognitive outcomes but similar in magnitude. If replicated, findings may inform policy efforts to reduce disparities in early skills for approximately 15 million U.S. children in food-insecure households.
利用美国国内代表性的低收入家庭中近期出生的儿童队列数据（n=2800-3700），本研究调查了幼儿期食物不安全的时间和强度与儿童幼儿园阅读、数学和社会情感结果之间的关联。描述性模式表明，大约 20%的低收入 0 至 5 岁儿童居住在食物不安全的家庭中。控制家庭收入和儿童社会情感技能的先前评估，幼儿期经历的食物不安全与幼儿园的社会情感结果不利相关。结果对于认知结果不太一致，但幅度相似。如果得到复制，这些发现可能会为大约 1500 万处于食物不安全家庭的美国儿童提供减少早期技能差异的政策努力提供信息。
