Abstract
Food security supports the normal development, growth, and health of children. Household food insecurity or insufficiency may be associated with lower dietary quality, poor cognitive development, and emotional/behavioral problems in children. Food insecurity or insufficiency is not associated with risk of being overweight in childhood, but deprivation during childhood may be related to adult obesity. In a clinical setting, neither anthropometric measures nor income measures are sufficient to determine whether food insecurity is a problem. Practitioners should be aware of food assistance programs in their communities and make appropriate referrals, but strategies need to include promoting sustainable community solutions.