Why food deprivation in childhood is linked to obesity
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Why food deprivation in childhood is linked to obesity
Khizra Tariq, University of Salford
As energy prices rise and the cost of living goes up, it is estimated that there are 4 million children from poorer households who have limited or uncertain access to healthy food.
My current PhD research is examining how this childhood food insecurity affects eating behaviour. Research suggests that food deprivation in childhood leads to obesity.
A 2017 study found that children between the age of eight and ten from homes that do not have easy access to healthy food are five times more likely to be obese compared to those from households that have enough food.
The study, which looked at 50 mothers and their children, found that children in households where food scarcity is a problem ate food when they were not hungry and were more likely to eat five or more snacks per day.
This is what is known as the “insurance hypothesis” – the theory is that people who d...
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