Did You Know, Colorado? March 26, 2014

·         Food-insecurity – lack of access to enough food to fully meet basic needs due to lack of financial resources – can increase a child’s risk of stunted early development, physical health problems, and behavioral challenges. Food-insecurity can also lead to weight gain, as the least expensive food options are typically high in calories and low in nutrients.

·         9% of parents with children aged 1-14 years in Colorado reported that they often relied on only a few kinds of low-cost food to feed their child because they were running out of money to buy food, and an additional 27% reported that they sometimes relied on such low-cost food.¹ A previous CDPHE study found that food-insecure children were 1.4 times more likely to be obese than children who were not food-insecure.

·         The School Breakfast Program can have a significant role in child nutrition and the public health concern of childhood obesity. The CDC recommends promoting access to and participation in school meals.

¹ Data source: 2012 Colorado Child Health Survey

For more information about chronic disease data in Colorado, contact Renee Calanan.