Association for Public Policy Analysis & Management

In 2014, 20% of U.S. households with children experienced food insecurity (Coleman-Jensen et al., 2015). Food insecurity in a child’s early years – from birth to age 5 – may be particularly harmful because the foundation for subsequent healthy cognitive and social development is established during this period (Knudsen et al., 2006). Children who experience food insecurity in early childhood may thus be at increased risk for entering kindergarten less ready to learn. This is of great policy concern, given that early achievement gaps present in kindergarten tend to persist as children age (Reardon, 2011).

Indeed, emerging research suggests that young children in food-insecure households demonstrate increased social and behavioral problems and decreased reading and math skills in kindergarten, relative to their counterparts in food-secure homes (Johnson & Markowitz, 2015). However, the family-level mechanisms that explain these negative effects—particularly during early childhood—are poorly understood. For instance, it may be that family- and parental-wellbeing is disrupted by food insecurity, which in turn negatively impacts key parent-child interactions that support children’s healthy cognitive and social development. Although scholars have hypothesized that factors such as poor maternal physical and mental health, high levels of parental conflict, and low levels of child-directed cognitive stimulation in the home – all of which are likely exacerbated by food insecurity – may mediate associations between food insecurity and child outcomes, no studies have tested for direct effects of food insecurity on these family-level mechanisms. To address this question, the current study tests for links between food insecurity and a comprehensive set of family- and parent-wellbeing indicators. If associations are found, this could point to policy-amenable levers for reducing the negative impacts of food insecurity on kindergarten skills.

Data are drawn from the nationally representative Early Childhood Longitudinal Study – Birth Cohort, which administered the USDA’s Core Food Security Module and gathered parent-reported information about parent wellbeing and household characteristics. Data were collected at 4 waves: when children were 9-months old, 2-years old, in preschool, and in kindergarten. This analysis focuses on families who were low-income at the preschool wave (incomes at or below 185% of the federal poverty line), as prior research finds the prevalence of food insecurity to be concentrated among low-income families (N ≈ 6650-7950).

Preliminary results from OLS regression models with lagged dependent variables and robust covariates suggest that food insecurity during preschool is significantly related (p<.05) to poorer parent health, increased depressive symptoms, reduced child-directed cognitive stimulation, and increased inter-parental conflict. Additionally, models examining the impact of changes in food insecurity status from 2-years to preschool suggest that transitioning into food insecurity is negatively associated (p<.05) with family-level outcomes.  

Results from this study inform current debates about nutritional assistance policy, as well as discussions around avenues for promoting the development of vulnerable children. To the extent that food insecurity operates through parental wellbeing, it may be possible to supplement food assistance programming with supports for parents, including health and mental health screening, home visiting services, and relationship counseling.