The findings, published September 16 in JAMA Pediatrics, shed light on the impact of early-life neighborhood environments on child health outcomes. While previous research has established a connection between food insecurity and obesity in adults, critical early life stages, such as pregnancy and early childhood, are often overlooked despite offering greater potential for intervention and influence on long-term health outcomes.

The prevalence of food insecurity in U.S. households with children under 18 years old remains alarmingly high. Recent data shows an increase from 12.5% in 2021 to 17.3% in 2022. Simultaneously, childhood obesity rates continue to rise, presenting a dual burden with long-term health consequences, including cardiovascular disease and diabetes.

Lead author Izzuddin Aris, an assistant professor of population medicine at Harvard Medical School, emphasizes the importance of understanding how experiencing food insecurity during formative years impacts subsequent child obesity. By uncovering the mechanisms and identifying risk factors linking neighborhood food access and obesity in children, targeted preventive strategies can be developed to mitigate chronic conditions in the future.

In a nationwide multi-cohort study, researchers examined data from over 28,000 children across the U.S., drawn from 55 birth cohorts participating in the NIH Environmental influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO) program. The team focused on neighborhoods classified as low-income-low-food-access, where access to healthier food options is challenging due to the distance to the nearest supermarket.

After adjusting for individual sociodemographic factors, the study results revealed that residence in these neighborhoods during pregnancy was associated with over a 50% higher risk of obesity and severe obesity from childhood to adolescence, along with higher BMI z-scores at ages 5, 10, and 15 years. Similar associations were observed for children who lived in low-income-low-food-access neighborhoods during early childhood.

This study adds to the growing body of literature supporting the link between food insecurity and subsequent childhood obesity. In a previous study of ECHO participants, Dr. Aris and his team found that residing in the lowest opportunity neighborhoods in early life was associated with an approximately 80% higher risk of obesity at similar life stages.

Dr. Aris emphasizes the importance of investments or strategies to improve healthful food access in early life, including incentivizing new supermarkets in existing low-income-low-food-access neighborhoods, providing healthy-choice pantries, and enhancing access to nutritious food options in small retail corner and convenience stores. These investments could play a crucial role in preventing child obesity and fostering healthier communities.