Exploring Global Food Insecurity and Obesity among Children Under Five Years: A Scoping Review
Food Insecurity and Obesity in Children Under Five
Abstract
The rise in overweight and obesity among children under five years has become a significant global health concern. The World Health Organization reports that childhood obesity increased from 4% in 1975 to 18% by 2016, affecting 38.2 million children under five years by 2019. Socioeconomic inequalities, particularly food insecurity, significantly contribute to these health issues by affecting children’s dietary quality and outcomes. This scoping review examined the association between food insecurity and obesity in children under five years across different regions. This review followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA-Scr) extension for scoping reviews, systematically searching PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science for studies published between January 2019 and January 2024. The search focused on children under five years, assessing household or child-level food security, and exploring associations with obesity or body mass index (BMI). Twelve articles were included, showing considerable regional differences in food insecurity rates. The highest prevalence was found among American Indian families in the US (61%), followed by Jerash, Jordan (45.7%) and Brazil (43.2%). Most studies indicated strong links between food insecurity and childhood obesity. However, reports from Ethiopia and Iran did not suggest direct relationships, underscoring the importance of local context. This review highlights the complex relationship between food insecurity and childhood obesity, especially in disadvantaged populations. Addressing this issue requires a multifaceted approach, including policy interventions, community support, and further research to understand contextual differences. Policymakers should focus on enhancing food access, affordability and nutritional education.
Keywords :
Childhood obesity; food insecurity; socioeconomic factors,
Abstrak
Kenaikan berat badan berlebihan dan obesiti di kalangan kanak-kanak di bawah lima tahun telah menjadi isu kesihatan global yang ketara. Pertubuhan Kesihatan Sedunia melaporkan bahawa obesiti kanak-kanak meningkat daripada 4% pada tahun 1975 kepada 18% pada tahun 2016, yang melibatkan 38.2 juta kanak-kanak di bawah lima tahun menjelang 2019. Ketidaksamaan sosioekonomi, terutamanya ketidakjaminan makanan, menyumbang dengan ketara kepada isu kesihatan ini dengan menjejaskan kualiti pemakanan dan hasil kesihatan kanak-kanak. Kajian sorotan ini mengkaji hubungan antara ketidakjaminan makanan dan obesiti di kalangan kanak-kanak di bawah umur lima tahun di pelbagai rantau. Kajian ini mengikut garis panduan 'Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses' (PRISMA) lanjutan kajian sorotan (PRISMA-Scr) di mana carian sistematik di PubMed, Scopus dan 'Web of Science' dilakukan untuk kajian yang diterbitkan antara Januari 2019 dan Januari 2024. Carian ini memfokuskan kepada kanak-kanak di bawah lima tahun, menilai keselamatan makanan di peringkat isi rumah dan mengkaji kaitannya dengan obesiti atau indeks jisim tubuh (BMI). Sebanyak 12 artikel yang telah disaring, menunjukkan perbezaan serantau yang besar dalam kadar ketidakjaminan makanan. Prevalens tertinggi ditemui di kalangan keluarga India Amerika di Amerika Syarikat (61%), diikuti oleh Jerash, Jordan (45.7%) dan Brazil (43.2%). Kebanyakan kajian menunjukkan hubungan yang kukuh antara ketidakjaminan makanan dan obesiti kanak-kanak. Walau bagaimanapun, laporan dari Ethiopia dan Iran tidak menunjukkan hubungan langsung, mungkin dipengaruhi oleh konteks tempatan. Kajian ini menyerlahkan hubungan kompleks antara ketidakjaminan makanan dan obesiti kanak-kanak, terutamanya dalam populasi yang kurang bernasib baik. Menangani isu ini memerlukan pendekatan pelbagai, termasuk campur tangan dasar, sokongan komuniti dan penyelidikan lanjut. Pembuat dasar perlu memberi tumpuan kepada peningkatan akses makanan, kemampuan dan pendidikan pemakanan.
Kata Kunci :
Faktor sosioekonomi; ketidakjaminan makanan; obesiti kanak-kanak,
Correspondance Address
Zaleha Md Isa. Department of Public Health Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Jalan Yaacob Latif, Bandar Tun Razak, 56000 Cheras, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Tel: +603-91458796 Email: zms@hctm.ukm.edu.my
