Abstract Body: Background:
Food insecurity is a significant public health concern that may adversely affect children’s physical and emotional well-being, including cardiovascular health. Limited research has examined the relationship between food insecurity and reported heart conditions in U.S. children using nationally representative data.
Methods:
We analyzed data from the 2019 National Survey of Children’s Health (NSCH), including children aged 0–17 years with complete information on household food security (FOODSIT), parent-reported child heart condition (HEART), and relevant covariates. Weighted descriptive statistics and multivariable logistic regression models were used to examine associations between food insecurity and heart health outcomes, adjusting for sociodemographic and behavioral factors such as child age, sex, race/ethnicity, insurance status, parental education, family structure, physical activity, sleep, BMI category, and adverse childhood experiences (ACEs). Survey weights (FWC) were applied to ensure nationally representative estimates.
Results:
Among U.S. children, food insecurity was significantly associated with higher odds of having a reported heart condition (OR = 1.41, 95% CI: 1.12–1.77, p = 0.0038) after adjusting for confounders. Other significant predictors included lower parental education (OR = 1.17, 95% CI: 1.01–1.35, p = 0.036), inadequate sleep (OR = 1.32, 95% CI: 1.07–1.62, p = 0.011), and higher BMI class (OR = 1.16, 95% CI: 1.02–1.31, p = 0.024). Male sex was associated with lower odds of reported heart conditions (OR = 0.79, 95% CI: 0.64–0.98, p = 0.029).
Conclusion:
Findings suggest that food insecurity is independently associated with poorer cardiovascular health among children, even after accounting for demographic, behavioral, and family-level factors. Interventions to reduce food insecurity may contribute to improved child heart health outcomes and long-term cardiovascular prevention efforts.