Table 3.
Main effects of household food insecurity on child health outcomes. León, Nicaragua. N = 431
| Recent illness | Anaemia | Low height‐for‐age | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Variables | OR | 95% CI | OR | 95% CI | OR | 95% CI |
| Household food security | ||||||
| Food secure | REF | REF | REF | |||
| Mildly food insecure | 1.65* | (1.03–2.64) | 1.59*, * | (1.16–2.20) | 1.34* | (1.07–1.69) |
| Moderately/severely food insecure | 3.14* | (1.27–7.78) | 2.23*, * | (1.73–2.88) | 2.15*, * | (1.51–3.06) |
| Controls | ||||||
| Recent parasite treatment | 2.84* | (1.20–6.69) | 1.29 | (0.35–4.78) | 1.51 | (0.52–4.34) |
| Child age in years | 1.02 | (0.91–1.15) | 0.85*, * | (0.81–0.90) | 1.15*, * | (1.10–1.20) |
| Child male | 0.88 | (0.43–1.78) | 0.94 | (0.78–1.13) | 0.74 | (0.38–1.43) |
| Maternal height | 0.89*, * | (0.84–0.93) | ||||
| Maternal social support | 0.98 | (0.90–1.08) | 1.01 | (0.96–1.06) | 0.85*, * | (0.84–0.87) |
| Mother most incomea | 1.10 | (0.56–2.17) | 1.34 | (0.84–2.15) | 0.76 | (0.48–1.21) |
| Mother manages moneyb | 0.66 | (0.39–1.12) | 1.34 | (0.39–4.64) | 1.36 | (0.78–2.35) |
| Maternal dep. symptoms | 1.10 | (0.96–1.25) | 1.05 | (0.98–1.13) | 0.97 | (0.90–1.04) |
| Maternal age | 0.98 | (0.96–1.00) | 1.00 | (0.97–1.03) | 0.96* | (0.92–0.99) |
| Mother pregnant | 1.79 | (0.74–4.35) | 2.34*, * | (1.92–2.86) | 0.99 | (0.54–1.83) |
| Mother primary educationc | 1.03*, * | (1.01–1.05) | 1.18 | (0.62–2.23) | 0.79 | (0.48–1.29) |
| Mother working | 2.17*, * | (1.46–3.25) | 0.98 | (0.72–1.35) | 0.77 | (0.41–1.44) |
| Mother marriedd | 1.27 | (0.55–2.94) | 1.28 | (0.78–2.09) | 0.73 | (0.22–2.44) |
| Mother cohabiting | 1.35 | (0.74–2.44) | 1.11 | (0.55–2.25) | 0.60 | (0.31–1.13) |
| Age of youngest child | 0.89*, * | (0.83–0.96) | 1.01 | (0.99–1.03) | 1.08 | (0.96–1.22) |
| Household size | 0.98 | (0.95–1.00) | 0.98 | (0.91–1.06) | 1.03 | (0.92–1.15) |
| Household wealth | 0.92 | (0.84–1.02) | 0.97 | (0.74–1.26) | 0.91 | (0.71–1.17) |
| Received remittances | 2.24*, * | (1.43–3.51) | 1.10 | (0.88–1.38) | 0.44 | (0.19–1.03) |
| Government assistance | 1.20 | (0.18–7.81) | 1.93 | (0.99–3.78) | 1.26 | (0.91–1.73) |
| Urban area | 1.39 | (0.59–3.24) | 0.59 | (0.20–1.77) | 0.85 | (0.23–3.10) |
a
Ref: spouse, both or other person brings in most income.
b
Ref: spouse, mother and spouse, or other manages household money.
c
Ref: Above primary school education.
d
Ref: Mother single, divorced, separated or widowed.
**
p < 0.01.
*
p < 0.05.