Advertisement
ADVANCED SEARCH

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Submit a response Alert me when this article is cited Alert me when eLetters are posted Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by McIntyre, L. Articles by Warren, J. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by McIntyre, L. Articles by Warren, J. Related Collections Sociology Needs assessment Children

Child hunger in Canada: results of the 1994 National Longitudinal Survey of Children and Youth

Dr. McIntyre is Professor in the Faculty of Health Professions and Mr. Warren is with the Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS. At the time of the study, Ms. Connor was a graduate student at the School of Health and Human Performance, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, and is now a research analyst with Human Resources Development Canada, Hull, Que.

Background: In Canada, hunger is believed to be rare. This study examined the prevalence of hunger among Canadian children and the characteristics of, and coping strategies used by, families with children experiencing hunger.

Methods: The data originated from the first wave of data collection for the National Longitudinal Survey of Children and Youth, conducted in 1994, which included 13 439 randomly selected Canadian families with children aged 11 years or less. The respondents were asked about the child's experience of hunger and consequent use of coping strategies. Sociodemographic and other risk factors for families experiencing hunger, use of food assistance programs and other coping strategies were analyzed by means of multiple logistic regression analysis.

Results: Hunger was experienced by 1.2% (206) of the families in the survey, representing 57 000 Canadian families. Single-parent families, families relying on social assistance and off-reserve Aboriginal families were overrepresented among those experiencing hunger. Hunger coexisted with the mother's poor health and activity limitation and poor child health. Parents offset the needs of their children by depriving themselves of food.

Interpretation: Physicians may wish to use these demographic characteristics to identify and assist families with children potentially at risk for hunge

This article has been cited by other articles:

				L. McIntyre MD MHSc and S. Galesloot RD MSA Hunger in Canada Can. Med. Assoc. J., March 11, 2008; 178(6): 730 - 730. [Full Text] [PDF]

				S. I. Kirkpatrick and V. Tarasuk Food Insecurity Is Associated with Nutrient Inadequacies among Canadian Adults and Adolescents J. Nutr., March 1, 2008; 138(3): 604 - 612. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				L. Normen, K. Chan, P. Braitstein, A. Anema, G. Bondy, J. S. G. Montaner, and R. S. Hogg Food Insecurity and Hunger Are Prevalent among HIV-Positive Individuals in British Columbia, Canada J. Nutr., April 1, 2005; 135(4): 820 - 825. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J.A. C. Delaney and J. Quail Universal care Can. Med. Assoc. J., May 11, 2004; 170(10): 1520 - 1520. [Full Text] [PDF]

				L. McIntyre, S. Officer, and L. M. Robinson Feeling Poor: The Felt Experience Low-Income Lone Mothers Affilia, August 1, 2003; 18(3): 316 - 331. [Abstract] [PDF]

				P. L. Williams, L. McIntyre, J. B. Dayle, and K. Raine The 'wonderfulness' of children's feeding programs Health Promot. Int., June 1, 2003; 18(2): 163 - 170. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				L. McIntyre, N. T. Glanville, K. D. Raine, J. B. Dayle, B. Anderson, and N. Battaglia Do low-income lone mothers compromise their nutrition to feed their children? Can. Med. Assoc. J., March 18, 2003; 168(6): 686 - 691. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				V. Tarasuk Low income, welfare and nutritional vulnerability Can. Med. Assoc. J., March 18, 2003; 168(6): 709 - 710. [Full Text] [PDF]

				N. T. Vozoris and V. S. Tarasuk Household Food Insufficiency Is Associated with Poorer Health J. Nutr., January 1, 2003; 133(1): 120 - 126. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				V. S. Tarasuk Household Food Insecurity with Hunger Is Associated with Women's Food Intakes, Health and Household Circumstances J. Nutr., October 1, 2001; 131(10): 2670 - 2676. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. M. Finkelstein Child hunger in Canada Can. Med. Assoc. J., May 1, 2001; 164(9): 1275 - 1275. [Full Text] [PDF]

				B. Leistikow Child hunger in Canada Can. Med. Assoc. J., May 1, 2001; 164(9): 1275 - 1275. [Full Text]

				L. McIntyre, J. Warren, and S. K. Connor Child hunger in Canada Can. Med. Assoc. J., May 1, 2001; 164(9): 1275 - 1276. [Full Text]

				C. L. Birmingham Child hunger: semi-starvation study repeated in Canada Can. Med. Assoc. J., October 1, 2000; 163(8): 985 - 986. [Full Text] [PDF]

HOME	CURRENT ISSUE	PAST ISSUES	COLLECTIONS	HELP	SEARCH
Copyright 1995-2000, Canadian Medical Association. All rights reserved. ISSN 1488-2329 (e) 0820-3946 (p) All editorial matter in CMAJ represents the opinions of the authors and not necessarily those of the Canadian Medical Association.