FRAC - Hunger & Obesity

Obesity and Hunger

First Lady Launches Effort to Reduce Childhood Obesity

A new national effort by First Lady Michelle Obama aims to end childhood obesity within a generation. The "Let's Move" campaign aims to help families and communities connect with healthier food by:

Offering parents the tools and information they need to make healthy choices for their children, including the launch of a public information campaign;
Improving the nutritional quality of food served in our nation's schools;
Ensuring that all families have access to healthy, affordable food in their communities by eliminating food deserts; and
Increasing opportunities for children to be physically active, both in and out of school.

The Partnership for a Healthier America– a new independent, nonpartisan foundation – will support the First Lady's efforts by catalyzing and tracking public-private partnerships. The six founding organizations of the partnership are The California Endowment, Kaiser Permanente, Nemours, the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, and the Alliance for a Healthier Generation.

Download FRAC's obesity publications...

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» FRAC publication,
Fact Sheet – Hunger and Obesity? Making the Connections).

» FRAC publication,
Obesity, Food Insecurity and the Federal Nutrition Programs: Understanding the Linkages

» FRAC publication,
Proceedings of the Roundtable on Understanding the Paradox of Hunger and Obesity

The Paradox of Obesity and Hunger:

For many households, the lack of money can contribute to both hunger and obesity. This apparent paradox is driven in part by the economics of buying food.

Households without money to buy enough food often have to rely on cheaper, high calorie foods to cope with limited money for food and stave off hunger. Families try to maximize caloric intake for each dollar spent, which can lead to over consumption of calories and a less healthful diet.

Thorough reviews of the scientific literature find no evidence that federal nutrition program participation causes obesity. In fact, some research finds that participation in federal nutrition programs greatly reduces the risk of overweight among food-insecure girls.

Research also shows that mothers restrict their food intake during periods of food insufficiency in order to protect their children from hunger. These chronic ups and downs in food intake can contribute to obesity among low-income women.

Link between Hunger and Obesity | Federal Food Programs and Obesity
Lack of Money and Obesity

The Link Between Hunger and Obesity

The Paradox of Hunger and Obesity in America from FRAC and the Center on Hunger and Poverty explains how hunger and obesity can co-exist.

Far too many Americans face food insecurity: Poverty, obesity sometimes go together from FRAC and the Greater Philadelphia Coalition Against Hunger is an op-ed piece from the Philadelphia Inquirer that points out the complex factors that contribute to obesity.

Food Insecurity Is Positively Related to Overweight in Women finds that the prevalence of overweight among women increases with food insecurity.

Nutrition and Health Outcomes Associated with Food Insecurity and Hunger suggests a relationship between food insecurity and overweight in women.

Food Insecurity Is Associated with Increased Risk of Obesity in California Women finds that obesity is more prevalent in food insecure than in food secure women.

Results from the Los Angeles County Health Survey indicate a higher likelihood of obesity in lower income, food insecure households than in lower income, food secure households.

Food Insufficiency and Prevalence of Overweight Among Adult Women shows that food-insufficient women are more likely to be overweight and have lower diet quality.

Obesity and Hunger Among Mexican-Indian Migrant Children on the US-Mexico Border confirms the coexistence of obesity and hunger among Indian children in the largest US-Mexico border city.

Federal Food Programs and Obesity

Hunger and Obesity: Implications for School Meal Patterns - Slides from a presentation done by FRAC for the Institute of Medicine on July 9, 2008.

Obesity, Poverty, and Participation in Nutrition Assistance Programs provides a thorough review of the scientific literature and concludes that current research provides no evidence that federal nutrition program participation causes obesity.

Lower Risk of Overweight in School-aged Food Insecure Girls Who Participate in Food Assistance finds that participation in federal nutrition programs reduces the risk of overweight among food-insecure girls.

Eating Breakfast Greatly Improves Schoolchildren's Diet Quality shows that children who eat school breakfast have better overall diets.

FRAC policy brief on Competitive Foods in Schools.

School Nutrition Association fact sheet on School Meals: Towards a Healthy Childhood Weight.

Lack of Money and Obesity

Poverty and Obesity: the Role of Energy Density and Energy Costs finds that high-fat, high-calorie diets are more affordable than prudent diets based on lean meats, fish, fresh vegetables, and fruit.

A Cost Constraint Alone Has Adverse Effects on Food Selection and Nutrient Density shows that lack of money decreases the nutritional quality of food selections.

Exploring Food Purchase Behavior of Low-Income Households reveals that low-income shoppers economize by settling for lower-quality foods.

Food Management Practices Used by People with Limited Resources to Maintain Food Sufficiency as Reported by Nutrition Educators examines food management practices used to maintain food sufficiency.

Parental Overweight, Socioeconomic Status and High Birth Weight Are the Major Determinants of Overweight and Obeisty in 5-7 Year-Old Children finds that overweight families of low socioeconomic status have the highest risk of overweight and obese children.

Fast Food, Race/Ethnicity, and Income reveals a link between fast food restaurants and black and low-income neighborhoods that may contribute the obesity epidemic in these populations.

FRAC Publications on Hunger and Obesity

Obesity, Food Insecurity and the Federal Nutrition Programs: Understanding the Linkages

This paper is a unique analysis of the dual, and simultaneous, impacts of food insecurity and obesity on low-income individuals, households, and communities, which includes information on definitions, prevalence and consequences of these public health problems for low-income people. Based on that review, and a detailed examination of child nutrition program operations and impacts, the paper discusses the current and future positive role that child nutrition programs can play in the prevention of these two public health problems. The final section on recommended policy approaches includes ideas on local wellness policies, changing competitive foods, improving school meals, implementing physical activity programs and nutrition education, and potential state and national level policy changes. This 33-page paper, written in simple, easily understood language, and including an extensive reference list, will be especially useful to policymakers, anti-hunger advocates, and organizations and individuals that work on children’s education and health issues.

The Proceedings of the Roundtable on Understanding the Paradox of Hunger and Obesity

This paper summarizes a one-day roundtable that brought together leading researchers in the hunger and obesity area with local, state, and national anti-hunger and anti-poverty advocates. At this meeting, close to 50 researchers, advocates, national organization and government agency representatives, and funders worked together to: exchange information and strategies about the connection between food insecurity and obesity; discuss effective and sensitive national, state and local solutions; and identify promising areas for additional research. The proceedings contain information that will help readers to: understand the findings and current consensus on the implications of research on the associations between food insecurity and obesity, and poverty and obesity; respond to questions from and critiques by reporters, interest groups, and policy-makers; and assist in developing plans of action at the local, state, and national levels that join relevant information, themes and activities concerning obesity, and public health with anti-hunger efforts.

Updated July 2006

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