Food Insecurity and the Risks of Depression and Anxiety in Mothers and Behavior Problems in Their Preschool-Aged Children

Stressful social circumstances, particularly constrained economic resources, have been linked to behavioral problems in young children and to symptoms of depression and anxiety in mothers. Using data Mathematica collected for the Fragile Families and Child Well-being Study, researchers sought to determine if the prevalence of depression and anxiety in mothers and the prevalence of behavior problems in preschool-aged children are more common when mothers report being food insecure. They found that 71 percent of respondents were fully food secure, 17 percent were marginally secure, and 12 percent were insecure. Mental health problems in mothers and behavior problems in their children were twice as likely in food-insecure households, after controlling for multiple factors, including income and other forms of material hardship. Alleviating food insecurity might be one way to enhance the mental and emotional well-being of mothers and their young children.