The impact of food insecurity on families attending the CEW clinic

• Research type

  Research Study

• Full title

  The impact of food insecurity on families attending the complications of excess weight (CEW) clinic

• IRAS ID

  326245

• Contact name

  Lucie Nield

• Contact email

  l.nield@shu.ac.uk

• Sponsor organisation

  Sheffield Hallam University

• Duration of Study in the UK

  0 years, 5 months, 31 days

• Research summary

  Childhood obesity is a key indicator of health in the UK. Food insecurity- when people regularly struggle to afford food to have a healthy life- leads to more childhood obesity. Understanding the complex relationship between food insecurity and childhood obesity will help to shape weight management services and improve outcomes for the children and families, who attend them.
  There is growing concern around the type, quantity and quality of foods consumed by individuals – and particularly children – experiencing food insecurity. For example, rising energy costs affect the methods used to store and cook foods, and the higher costs reduce the purchase of more expensive foods (e.g., fruits and vegetables) and overall quantity of food (The Food Foundation, 2022; Office for National Statistics, 2022). Data from the ‘My Health My School’ (2022) survey suggests that Children and Young People (CYP) experiencing food insecurity are four times less likely to eat breakfast, which is closely linked with in-class behaviour and academic performance (Adolphus et al., 2013). It is also related to mental health complications (My Health My School, 2022) and linked with poor dietary quality and not enough intake of vitamin D (Jun et al., 2021).
  The project looks to collect mixed-methods data to understand the impact of food insecurity for CYP and the link this has with obesity-promoting behaviours. The aims are:
  • To use different methodologies to explore experience of food insecurity, patterns of dietary intake and Vitamin D status as social/biomedical/clinical markers of good nutrition
  • To explore how wider environmental and household factors impact on dietary behaviours; especially those related to food insecurity and engagement with existing plans in Sheffield
  • To support the Complications of Excess Weight (CEW) service through the development of simple assessment tools that can be used to explore diet, nutritional status and having a healthier diet

• REC name

  South Central - Berkshire B Research Ethics Committee

• REC reference

  23/SC/0276

• Date of REC Opinion

  17 Oct 2023

• REC opinion

  Further Information Favourable Opinion