Table 2.
Summary of constructs associated with food security arising from the literature.
| Food Security Construct | No. of Papers | Details of Factors Associated with Food Security |
|---|---|---|
| Income and employment | 13 | Low income -, job loss - and payment schedules -, income support -, caregiver unemployment -, poverty -, not receiving welfare -, low social economic status - (combined score of education, occupation and household income), living below poverty line -, mothers as housewives - |
| Coping strategies | 8 | Stretching food+ -, going without+ -, caregivers/children skip meals or cut back on variety of foods consumed+ -, going to bed hungry+ -, other household members going hungry+ -, reducing the number of meals each day+ -, cooking whatever is available+ -, buying cheaper food+ -, shopping at value stores+ -, using coupons+ -, going to many locations to find best price+ -, reducing money spent on children’s education+ -, borrowing money+ -, social support and social cohesion+, contact with extended family and participation in food sharing networks+ -, consumption of meals outside the home (at other people’s homes)+ -, turning to family and friends+ -, receiving food from others+ - |
| Maternal depression/mental health | 8 | Maternal depression and poor health status -, parenting stress -, lack of time -, lack of social support -, feelings of isolation -, unwanted child-bearing - |
| Residence stability and crowding | 7 | Housing and energy insecurity -, experience greater number of moves -, receiving housing subsidy -, do not own any land -, household crowding -, living in households with five or more members -, crowding in homes in need of major repair - |
| Education | 7 | Caregivers/mothers with lower levels of education - |
| Parent acculturation | 6 | Immigrant status -, length of time in country+ -, difficulty with shopping and food preparation in a foreign environment - |
| Ethnicity | 6 | Ethnicity+ -, race+ -, ethnic minority - |
| Participation in food assistance programs | 6 | Participation in SNAP+ -, participation in WIC + -, food stamp usage -, reliance on school meals - |
| Diet Quality | 6 | Reduced consumption of high cost and micronutrient rich foods -, increased consumption of low-cost traditional staple foods -, iron status -, food variety - |
| Family composition | 4 | Caregivers’ marital status (single/widowed/separated/divorced) -, larger household size, larger number of children - |
| Smoking | 4 | Living in a house with a smoker -, maternal smoking -, mother smoking during pregnancy - |
| Food access and availability | 4 | Economic constraints - and food pricing (including cost of fruit and vegetables) -, choosing between food and other necessities (including medicine and bills) -, lack of access to healthy food - or food stores in general - |
| Health care | 2 | Health care usage -, lack of health insurance coverage - |
| Other | 2 | Lack of urban infrastructure - and exposure to environmental contaminants - |
+ Positively associated with food security; - Inversely associated with food security.