Children’s HealthWatch | Publications by Topic

Publications

Recent Children's HealthWatch publications, by topic:

Prior to February 2009, Children's HealthWatch was called Children's Sentinel Nutrition Assessment Program (C-SNAP)

Food

Are Food Insecurity's Health Impacts Underestimated in the U.S. Population? Marginal Food Security Also Predicts Adverse Health Outcomes in Young U.S. Children and Mothers. January 2012. The article addresses epidemiological, public health and soical policy implications of categorizing young children and their adult female caregivers as food secure when they live in households with "marginal food security" as indicated by the U.S. Household Food Security Survey Module. The new esearch presented supports evidence from existing research and indicates that households with marginal food security should not be classified as food secure, as is the current practice, but should be reported in a separate discrete category.

WIC Participation and Attenuation of Stress-Related Child Health Risks of Household Food Insecurity and Caregiver Depressive Symptoms, May 2012. This paper examined how family stressors relate to child health and whether participation in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women Infants and Children (WIC) attenuates stress-related child health risks. Children's Healthwatch researchers found that Interactions between WIC and stressors favored WIC participants over nonparticipants in dual stressor families on 3 child health indicators: fair/poor health, well-child status, and overweight.

The SNAP Vaccine: Boosting Children's Health, February 2012.
New research by Children's HealthWatch finds that SNAP significantly decreases family and child food security. The analysis also showed that compared to children who are likely eligible but not receiving SNAP, children receiving SNAP were less likely to be underweight or at risk for developmental delays. The medical evidence shows that SNAP is an effective vaccine for supporting the healthy minds and bodies of our future leaders--our children.

Real Cost of a Healthy Diet: 2011, November 2011.
In new research conducted at the Philadelphia site of Children's HealthWatch, we replicated the 2008 study Coming Up Short: High Food Costs Outstrip Food Stamp Benefits, examining the affordability and accessibilty of healthy food in three types of stores in Philadelphia. THe study showed that families of four who receive the maximum SNAP benefit experience a $2, 352 annual shortfall and that more than a third of the food items were missing across all store types. Protecting SNAP's existing entitlement structure is critical to ensuring that families continue to get the support they need to provide healthy food for their children.

Boost to SNAP Benefits Protected Young Children's Health, October 2011.
Children's HealthWatch research shows that the SNAP benefit increase instituted as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act protected young children's health. In the two years after the benefit increase, children in families receiving SNAP were significantly more likely to be classified as 'well children' than young children whose families were eligible for but did not receive SNAP. Sustaining the April 2009 benefit increase will promote the health and well-being of America's youngest and most vulnerable children.

Federal Programs that Protect Young Children's Health, June 2011.
Research has shown that children who suffer from poor nutrition, unstable housing and inadequate home heating have a greater likelihood of poor health, a higher risk of developmental delays, and in some cases, an increased risk of hospitalization. Fortunately, our country has a number of highly effective programs, including SNAP, WIC, LIHEAP and subsidized housing, that help protect brain and body growth in very young children.

Too Many Hurdles: Barriers to Receiving SNAP Put Children's Health at Risk, March 2011.
Research by Children's HealthWatch shows that young children in families that did not receive SNAP due to administrative and other difficulties were more likely to be child food insecure (sometimes called child hunger) and significantly underweight for their age (an indication of under nutrition). These young children were also more likely to live in households that were struggling to put food on the table (houshold food insecure) and living in crowded/doubled up conditions or moving frequently. Our previous research has shown that children in food-insecure households whose families participate in SNAP are significantly more likely to be in good or excellent health than children in similar families that do not have access to the program. Removing barriers to accessing SNAP can protect the health of America's children.

Earning More, Receiving Less: Loss of Benefits and Child Hunger, September 2010.
New research from Children's HealthWatch shows that increases in income that trigger loss of public assistance benefits can leave young children without enough food to eat. Families hat have been cut off from SNAP or TANF when their income exceeds eligibility limits are more likely to experience levels of food insecurity that require reducing the size or frequency of children's meals compared to those currently receiving benefits. Previous research has demonstrated that both SNAP and TANF reduce the likelihood of food insecurity. Income eligibility guidelines should be re-examined to ensure that a modest increase in income does not disqulaify a family from the benefits they need to keep their children healthy and well-fed. Families that successfully increase their earnings should not find themselves worse off due to a resulting loss of benefits.

Development and Validity of a 2-Item Screen to Identify Families at Risk for Food Insecurity. Erin R. Hager, Anna M. Quigg, Maureen M. Black, Sharon M. Coleman, Timothy Heeren, Ruth Rose-Jacobs, John T. Cook, Stephanie A. Ettinger de Cuba, Patrick H. Casey, Mariana Chilton, Diana B. Cutts, Alan F. Meyers, and Deborah A. Frank. Pediatrics. Volume 126, Number 1, July 2010.

Healthy Families in Hard Times: Solutions for Multiple Family Hardships, June 2010.

New research by Children’s HealthWatch finds that the cumulative effects of multiple hardships on young children, including a lack of nutritious food, unstable housing and inadequate home heating and cooling, decrease the chances of normal growth and development in very young children. The research shows that the greater the level of hardship experienced, the less likely a child was to be classified as ‘well’ on a composite indicator of well-being and the more likely their parents were to be concerned about their development.

Child Care Feeding Programs Support Young Children's Healthy Development, January 2010.
Children’s HealthWatch finds that toddlers receiving meals from their child care provider are in better health than those who must bring meals from home. The Child and Adult Care Feeding Program (CACFP) is the nation’s only nutrition program for young children in child care. Children’s HealthWatch identified a group of children in it’s dataset that are very likely receiving CACFP meals. Children in participating child care centers or family child care homes are in better health, have decreased risk for hospitalization, and are at healthier heights and weights for their age than children whose meals are supplied from home. Changes to CACFP that expand access, reduce barriers and ensure that providers have the resources they need to provide healthy meals are beneficial for young children’s health and growth.

WIC Improves Child Health and School Readiness, January 2010.
Children’s HealthWatch finds that young children who participate in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) are more likely to be in excellent or good health and have a reduced risk of developmental delay compared to children who are eligible for WIC but not enrolled. WIC provides vouchers for foods high in essential nutrients to young children and pregnant and postpartum women. Investing in WIC not only provides cost savings in infant health care, but also supports the nutritional needs of young children during a critical window of brain and body growth. Program improvements that decrease access barriers, provide the full amount of recommended fruits and vegetables, and accommodate working parents will help young children reach their full potential.

Child Food Insecurity: The Economic Impact on our Nation, July 2009.
A report commissioned by Feeding America and The ConAgra Foods Foundation, and written by Children's HealthWatch, details the impacts that food insecurity in children has on the nation's economic future. The report explores data from Children's HealthWatch and other literature that demonstrates how food insecurity and hunger with other correlates of poverty can significantly alter the architecture of children's brains, thus affecting their ability to reach their full potential as adults.
Click here to read the executive summary.

Food Insecurity Rates Rise Steeply with Recession, June 2009.
In the second brief in its Policy Action series, Children's HealthWatch finds that the prevalence of food insecurity in a five-city sample of low-income families with young children increased from 18.5 percent to 22.6 percent between 2007 and 2008. This is the largest year-to-year change seen in the dataset since 2001. The increase is an indication of the economic hardships facing low-income families with young children. This data suggests that we are likely to see significant increases in food insecurity when the U.S. Department of Agriculture issues its own statistics for 2008 in late fall.

Even Very Low Levels of Food Insecurity Found to Harm Children's Health, May 2009.
This publication is the first in a series of Children's HealthWatch Policy Action Briefs, which will provide a summary of our research, as well as that of others, on issues affecting children's health and well-being. This brief finds that more children are at risk for health and developmental problems due to lack of food than were previously thought. These children and their families are classified as “marginally food secure” by the USDA, which suggests that they are not at risk. The data show that they are, in fact, significantly at risk.

Household food insecurity is a risk factor for iron-deficiency anaemia in a multi-ethnic, low-income sample of infants and toddlers. Kyong Park, Margaret Kersey, Joni Geppert, Mary Story, Diana Cutts and John H Himes. Public Health Nutrition. May 2009.

Feeding Our Future: Growing up Healthy with WIC, May 2009.

Children's HealthWatch recently released a report, "Feeding Our Future: Growing up Healthy with WIC", which details the important effects that the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) has on very young children. The report highlights Children's HealthWatch research that WIC not only improves children's health but reduces their risk of developmental delays.

Food Insecurity and Risk of Poor Health Among US-Born Children of Immigrants. Mariana Chilton, Maureen M. Black, Carol Berkowitz, Patrick H. Casey, John Cook, Diana Cutts, Ruth Rose Jacobs, Timothy Heeren, Stephanie Ettinger de Cuba, Sharon Coleman, Alan Meyers, and Deborah A. Frank. American Journal of Public Health. March 2009.

Reading, Writing and Hungry: The consequences of food insecurity on children and on our nation's economic success, Research Brief, November 2008.

A research brief, based on a report of the same name written by Children's HealthWatch and the Food Research Action Center, demonstrates that food insecurity among young children carries significant economic costs for both individuals and families, leading to economic problems for society as a whole.

Reading, Writing and Hungry: The consequences of food insecurity on children and on our nation's economic success, November 2008.

A report commissioned by the Partnership for America's Economic Success and written by Children's HealthWatch and the Food Research Action Center addresses the range of economic consequences associated with persistently high rates of household food insecurity in the United States. Drawing from various sources of data, the report identifies the short- and long-term economic costs of the harmful effects of food insecurity on very young children.

Coming Up Short: High food costs outstrip food stamp benefits, September 2008.

The Real Cost of a Healthy Diet Project investigated the availability and affordability of healthy food in two cities. This project, based at the Boston Medical Center and Drexel University's School of Public Health, examined whether low-income residents in Boston and Philadelphia could buy food for a healthy diet using the maximum food stamp benefit in their neighborhood food stores. The study found that even families receiving the maximum food stamp benefit would have to spend an additional $2,520 in Boston and $3,165 in Philadelphia annually to purchase the Thrifty Food Plan.

Food Security: Ensuring the health of Baltimore's babies, Summer 2008.

Food insecurity is the lack of access to enough food for an active and healthy lifestyle for all household members due to financial constraints. Families who are food insecure often limit the quality and quantity of food that is available to family members. As a result, families fill up on low-cost foods with little nutritional value. This report demonstrates the impact that food insecurity has on the health and development of children in the city of Baltimore. Furthermore, it examines the role of nutrition-related public assistance programs (i.e.: Food Stamps, WIC) in food insecure families.

Household Food Insecurity: Associations with At-Risk Infant and Toddler Development. Ruth Rose-Jacobs, Maureen M. Black, Patrick H. Casey, John T. Cook, Diana B. Cutts, Mariana Chilton, Tim C. Heeren, Suzette M. Levenson, Alan F. Meyers, Deborah A. Frank. Pediatrics. January 2008.

Food Security, Poverty, and Human Development in the United States. John T. Cook and Deborah A. Frank. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences. 2008.

Balancing Acts: Energy Insecurity among Low-Income Babies and Toddlers of Color Increases Food Insecurity and Harmful Health Effects, March 2007.

Energy insecurity compounds the negative effects of food insecurity on child health. "Heat or eat" and "cool or eat" situations further compromise the nutrition of already-vulnerable young children, and increase their risk of health problems in both the short- and long-term. Children of color are at increased risk of experiencing the damaging effects of energy insecurity because their families are disproportionately poor and underserved. This report details Children's HealthWatch data on energy insecurity among children of color, focusing specifically on Black and Latino children ages 0 to 3.

Food Stamps As Medicine: A New Perspective on Children's Health, February 2007.

The Food Stamp Program is America’s first line of defense against hunger and the foundation of our national nutrition safety network. Physicians and medical researchers also think it is one of America’s best medicines to prevent and treat childhood food security. The report demonstrates the important protective effect of food stamps on child food insecurity and for citizen children of immigrants. Eligible children receiving food stamps are less likely to be food insecure than eligible children not receiving food stamps.

Nourishing Development: A Report on Food Insecurity & the Precursors to School Readiness among Very Young Children, updated February 2008 (original report July 2006).

A report of original Children's HealthWatch findings demonstrating that the foundations of school readiness are laid long before the start of formal education begins.

The Impact of Food Insecurity on the Development of Young Low-Income Black and Latino Children; and
Protecting the Health and Nutrition of Young Children of Color: The Impact of Nutrition Assistance and Income Support Programs

Research Findings from the Children's HealthWatch; Prepared for the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies Health Policy Institute, May 2006.

A pair of reports demonstrating the increased vulnerability of young black and Latino children from low-income households to developmental risk linked to food insecurity and the buffering effect that family support programs can have on young black and Latino children's health and growth.

Child Food Insecurity Increases Risks Posed by Household Food Insecurity to Young Children's Health. John T. Cook, Deborah A. Frank, Suzette M. Levenson, Nicole B. Neault, Tim C. Heeren, Maureen M. Black, Carol Berkowitz, Patrick H. Casey, Alan F. Meyers, Diana B. Cutts, Mariana Chilton. Journal of Nutrition. 2006 Apr; 136 (4):1073-6.

Child Food Insecurity and Iron Deficiency Anemia in Low-Income Infants and Toddlers in the United States. Anne Skalicky, Alan Meyers, William Adams, Zhaoyan Yang, John Cook, Deborah A. Frank. Maternal and Child Health Journal. 2006;10(2):177-185.

The Real Co$t of a Healthy Diet: Healthful Foods are Out of Reach for Low-Income Families in Boston, Massachusetts, August 2005.

A report from a research team from the Boston Medical Center Department of Pediatrics revealing that, on average, the monthly cost of the Thrifty Food Plan (upon which Food Stamp Program benefits are based) is $27 more than the maximum monthly food stamp benefit allowance. A low-cost healthier diet based on the most recent nutrition guidelines exceeded the maximum monthly food stamp benefit by $148 -- an annual differential of $1,776. This is an unrealistic budgetary stretch for most families who qualify for nutrition assistance.

The Safety Net in Action: Protecting the Health and Nutrition of Young American Children, July 2004.

A comprehensive summary of Children's HealthWatch findings showing the positive impact of five public assistance programs on young children's food security, growth, and health.

Food Insecurity is Associated with Adverse Health Outcomes Among Human Infants and Toddlers. John Cook, Deborah A. Frank, Carol Berkowitz, Maureen Black, Patrick Casey, Diana Cutts, Alan Meyers, Nieves Zaldivar, Anne Skalicky, Suzette Levenson, Timothy Heeren, and Mark Nord. Journal of Nutrition. 2004; 134:1432-1438.

Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) Participation and Infants' Growth and Health: A Multisite Surveillance Study. Maureen Black, Diana Cutts, Deborah A. Frank, Joni Geppert, Anne Skalicky, Suzette Levenson, Patrick Casey, Carol Berkowitz, Nieves Zaldivar, John Cook, Alan Meyers and Children's HealthWatch Study Group. Pediatrics 2004: 114(1):169-176.

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Energy

Federal Programs that Protect Young Children's Health, June 2011.
Research has shown that children who suffer from poor nutrition, unstable housing and inadequate home heating have a greater likelihood of poor health, a higher risk of developmental delays, and in some cases, an increased risk of hospitalization. Fortunately, our country has a number of highly effective programs, including SNAP, WIC, LIHEAP and subsidized housing, that help protect brain and body growth in very young children.

Healthy Families in Hard Times: Solutions for Multiple Family Hardships, June 2010

New research by Children's HealthWatch finds that the cumulative effects of multiple hardships on young children, including lack of nutritous food, unstable housing and inadequate home heating and cooling, decrease the chances of normal growth and development in very young children. The research shows that the greater the level of hardship experienced, the less likely a child was to be classified as 'well' on a composite indicator of well-being and the more likely their parents were to be concerned about their development.

Energy Insecurity is a Major Threat to Child Health, February 2010.

This brief finds that young children whose families struggle to pay their utility bills ('energy insecure' families) are more likely to suffer a host of problems including food insecurity, poor health, hospitalizations and developmental delays. The Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), which provides low-income households with assistance in paying their utility bills, is found to be effective at shielding young children from the harmful effects of energy insecurity.

Front page of Stable Housing and Utilities report Stable Housing and Utilities: Keeping Baltimore's Babies Healthy, September 2009.

Very young children are uniquely vulnerable to deprivation. The health and learning potential of our nation's youngest children are put at risk because of hardships. This report demonstrates the impact that unstable housing conditions and inadequate home heating or cooling has on the health and development of children in Baltimore.

Bringing Children in from the Cold: Solutions for Boston’s Hidden Homeless, October 2008.

Children's HealthWatch and the Medical-Legal Partnership | Boston recently released a joint report entitled “Bringing Children in from the Cold: Solutions for Boston’s Hidden Homeless.” The report describes a population of “hidden homeless” families and new research showing that children in these families are more likely to be hungry and in poor health. Unrecorded by any homeless census, these families move frequently, often into overcrowded apartments, or double up with another family never knowing how long they can stay. The report estimates that there are over 14,800 hidden homeless families in Boston and that this number is likely to grow as the economy declines.

A Brief Indicator of Household Energy Security: Associations With Food Security, Child Health, and Child Development in US Infants and Toddlers. John T. Cook, Deborah A. Frank, Patrick H. Casey, Ruth Rose-Jacobs, Maureen M. Black, Mariana Chilton, Stephanie Ettinger de Cuba, Danielle Appugliese, Sharon Coleman, Timothy Heeren, Carol Berkowitz, and Diana B. Cutts. Pediatrics. October 2008.

Fuel for Our Future: Impacts of Energy Insecurity on Children's Health, Nutrition, and Learning, October 2007.

Rising energy prices affect all households, yet the impact is greatest on low-income families. The lower a family’s income, the higher the percentage of their total income they must spend for energy. The strain on household budgets often causes unavoidable trade-offs between food and energy, called ‘heat or eat’ or ‘cool or eat.’ These trade-offs have serious consequences for young children’s health and learning, particularly for children of color. This report demonstrates the important role that the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) plays in protecting children’s health and ability to learn.
Click here for more Fuel for Our Future resources.

Balancing Acts: Energy Insecurity among Low-Income Babies and Toddlers of Color Increases Food Insecurity and Harmful Health Effects, March 2007.

Heat or Eat: The Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program and Nutritional and Health Risks Among Children Less Than 3 Years of Age. Deborah A. Frank, Nicole B. Neault, Anne Skalicky, John T. Cook, Jacqueline D. Wilson, Suzette Levenson, Alan F. Meyers, Timothy Heeren, Diana B. Cutts, Patrick H. Casey, Maureen M. Black, Carol Berkowitz. Pediatrics. 2006; 118(5):1293-1302.

The Safety Net in Action: Protecting the Health and Nutrition of Young American Children, July 2004.

A comprehensive summary of Children's HealthWatch findings showing the positive impact of five public assistance programs on young children's food security, growth, and health.

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Housing

To Thrive Minneapolis Children Need a Place to Call Home. February 2013.
Children's HealthWatch analyzed surveys from 6,000 young Minneapolis children and their caregivers collected between 2005 and 2011 at the Hennepin County Medical Center. We found that approximately 67% of families were housing insecure. Housing insecurity is a known health risk for young children. Compared to children in securely housed families, children in housing insecure families are far more likely to be in fair or poor health and experience developmental delays.

Safe, Stable Homes Lead to Healthier Children and Families for Baltimore. October 2012.
Children's HealthWatch analyzed nearly 5,000 surveys from Baltimore families with children under age four collected between 2002-2011. In this sample, just 49% of families were stably housed. Compared to those in stably housed families, housing insecure families were more likely to experience fair or poor health, developmental delays and food insecurity. For example, children in families who were crowded or behind on rent were about 22% less likely to be classified as "well" on a composite scale of child well-being than were children in stably housed families.

Safe, Stable Homes Mean Healthier Children for Massachusetts. October 2012.
Children's HealthWatch analyzed surveys from 6,000 young Massachusetts children and their caregivers collected between 2002-2011 at the Boston Medical Center Emergency Department. We found that approximately 49% of families were housing insecure (behind on rent, living in over-crowded conditions or had moved at least two times in the past year).

A Safe, Stable Place to Call Home Supports Young Children's Health in Arkansas. July 2012. Children's HealthWatch researchers analyzed survey data collected from caregivers in Arkansas between 2005 and 2011. In the sample of 5,000 families with children under age four, Children's HealthWatch found that about 51% of families were housing insecure. Housing insecurity is associated with fair or poor health, and greater risk of developmental delays in children in Arkansas.

Safe, Affordable Housing Supports Young Children's Health in Philadelphia. May 2012. Children's HealthWatch Philadelphia housing research links housing insecurity with poor child health outcomes in the city. Children's Healthwatch analyzed data from 4,500 families and found that over half of them were housing insecure.

Overcrowding, Frequent Moves Harmful to Children's Health, November 2011.
New housing insecurity research by Children's HealthWatch has shown that familes that are housing insecure are more likley to be food insecure and have young children who are in fair or poor health, at risk of developemental delays and/or underweight. Investment in affordable and subsidized housing would not only reduce housing and food insecurity, but would improve the health and potential for school success of our nation's young children.

US Housing Insecurity and the Health of Very Young Children, June 2011. Diana B. Cutts, MD, Alan F. Meyers, MD, MPH, Maureen M. Black, PhD, Patrick H. Casey, MD, Mariana Chilton, PhD, John T. Cook, PhD, Joni Geppert, MPH, RD, LN, Stephanie Ettinger de Cuba, MPH, Timothy Heeren , PhD, Sharon Coleman, MPH, MS, Ruth Rose-Jacobs, ScD, and Deborah A. Frank, MD. American Journal of Public Health. Published online ahead of print June 16, 2011.

Behind Closed Doors: The hidden health impacts of being behind on rent, January 2011.
New Research by Children's HealthWatch finds that families that who are behind on rent are more likely to have children in fair or poor health, at risk of developmental dealys, and a mother who has symptoms of depression compared to families who are not behind on rent. Strikingly, the negative health impacts of being behind on rent are similar to families experiencing homelessness. The policy implications of these findings call for investments in affordable housing opportunites and rental assistance programs for families and their very young children.

Healthy Families in Hard Times: Solutions for Multiple Family Hardships, June 2010.

Rx for Hunger: Affordable Housing, December 2009.
A report by Children's HealthWatch and the Medical-Legal Partnership | Boston finds that subsidized housing plays a significant role in protecting young children from food insecurity and the health risks of being seriously underweight. This report confirms that increased support for subsidized housing must be a part of the strategy to end childhood hunger.

Funding Shortfall for Housing Vouchers Could Have Serious Health Consequences for Children, September 2009.
In the fourth brief in its Policy Action series, Children's HealthWatch finds that unaffordable housing endangers the health and development of young children. Due to a federal funding shortfall, state and local housing agencies will be forced to reduce or eliminate rental assitance to thousands of families starting this month. Voucher cuts will push more families into the ranks of the "hidden homeless" -- families that move frequently, crowd into apartments that are too small, or live doubled up with other households when they cannot find affordable housing. Children in hidden homeless families are at increased risk for poor health, nutrition, and growth, as well as developmental dealys. Timely Congressional action to protect the Housing Choice Voucher Program will ensure that families have stable, affordable housing essential to children's health.

Front page of Stable Housing and Utilities report Stable Housing and Utilities: Keeping Baltimore's Babies Healthy, September 2009.

Bringing Children in from the Cold: Solutions for Boston’s Hidden Homeless, October 2008.

Research Findings from the Children's HealthWatch; Prepared for the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies Health Policy Institute, May 2006.

Subsidized Housing and Children's Nutritional Status: Data from a Multisite Surveillance Study. Alan Meyers, Diana Cutts, Deborah A. Frank, Suzette Levenson, Anne Skalicky, John Cook, Carol Berkowitz, Maureen Black, Patrick Casey and Nieves Zaldivar. Archives of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine. 2005;159:551-556.

The Safety Net in Action: Protecting the Health and Nutrition of Young American Children, July 2004.

A comprehensive summary of Children's HealthWatch findings showing the positive impact of five public assistance programs on young children's food security, growth, and health.

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TANF

Earning More, Receiving Less: Loss of Benefits and Child Hunger, September 2010.
New research from Children's HealthWatch shows that increases in income that trigger loss of public assistance benefits can leave young children without enough food to eat. Families hat have been cut off from SNAP or TANF when their income exceeds eligibility limits are more likely to experience levels of food insecurity that require reducing the size or frequency of children's meals compared to those currently receiving benefits. Previous research has demonstrated that both SNAP and TANF reduce the likelihood of food insecurity. Income eligibility guidelines should be re-examined to ensure that a modest increase in income does not disqulaify a family from the benefits they need to keep their children healthy and well-fed. Families that successfully increase their earnings should not find themselves worse off due to a resulting loss of benefits.

Maternal Depression, Changing Public Assistance, Food Security, and Child Health Status. Patrick Casey, Susan Goolsby, Carol Berkowitz, Deborah A. Frank, John Cook, Diana Cutts, Maureen Black, Nieves Zaldivar, Anne Skalicky, Suzette Levenson, Tim Heeren, Alan Meyers and the Children's HealthWatch Study Group. Pediatrics. 2004; 113(2):298-304.

The Impact of Welfare Sanctions on the Health of Infants and Toddlers: A Report from Children's HealthWatch, July 2002.

A report based on Children's HealthWatch findings published in the July 2002 Archives of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine. Welfare sanctions and benefit decreases have serious negative implications for infants and toddlers’ health and food security.

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Children of Immigrants

Children of Immigrants: Healthy Beginnings Derailed by Food Insecurity, October 2010.
U.S.-born children of immigrant mothers are more likely to be breastfed, have a healthy birth weight, and live with two parents than children of U.S.-born mothers. Despite this healthier start, young children of recent immigrants are more likely to be in poor health and food insecure. Food insecurity plays a significant role in harming the health of young children of immigrants. Though immigrant families have higher rates of poverty and food insecurity, because of regulatory barriers and confusion about eligibility, children of immigrants are less likely than those of U.S.-born parents to receive important nutritional and health benefits needed for healthy growth and development.

Breastfeeding and Health Outcomes among Citizen Infants of Immigrant Mothers. Nicole B. Neault, Deborah A. Frank, Barbara Philipp, Anne Merewood, Marianna Kessimian, Suzette Levenson, John T. Cook, Alan Meyers, Patrick Casey, Diana Cutts, Maureen Black, Nieves Zaldivar, Carol Berkowitz. Journal of the American Dietetic Association. December 2007.

Hunger in young children of Mexican immigrant families. Margaret Kersey, Joni Geppert, Diana Cutts. Journal of Public Health and Nutrition. April 2007.

La alimentación y el bienestar de los ciudadanos estadounidenses más jóvenes de madres mexicanas, centroamericanas, y caribeñas. Mariana Chilton, Stephanie Ettinger de Cuba, Diana B. Cutts, Carol Berkowitz, John T. Cook, Maureen M. Black, Danielle Appugliese, Tim C. Heeren, Deborah A. Frank and the Children's HealthWatch Study Group. Cahiers Alhim de la Universidad de Paris 8 de Saint-Denis. No. 14: 2007.

Research Findings from the Children's HealthWatch; Prepared for the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies Health Policy Institute, May 2006.

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Child Development

Reading, Writing and Hungry: The consequences of food insecurity on children and on our nation's economic success, Research Brief, November 2008.

Reading, Writing and Hungry: The consequences of food insecurity on children and on our nation's economic success, Research Report, November 2008.

Nourishing Development: A Report on Food Insecurity & the Precursors to School Readiness among Very Young Children, updated February 2008 (original report July 2006).

A report of original Children's HealthWatch findings demonstrating that the foundations of school readiness are laid long before the start of formal education begins.

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Other

Household Hardships, Public Programs, and Their Associations with the Health and Development of Very Young Children: Insights from Children's HealthWatch, February 2012. Katherine M. Joyce, MPH, Amanda Breen, Ph.D. Stephanie Ettinger de Cuba, MPH, John T. Cook, Ph.D, M.A.Ed., Kathleen W. Barrett, MSE, Grace Paik, Natasha Pishi, Bianca Pullen, Ashley Schiffmiller, Deborah A. Frank, MD. Journal of Applied Research on Children: Informing Policy For Children at Risk: Vol 3: Issue 1, Article 4.

Cumulative Hardship and Wellness of Low-Income, Young Children: Multisite Surveillance Study, Deborah A. Frank, Patrick H. Casey, Maureen M. Black, Ruth Rose-Jacobs, Mariana Chilton, Diana Cutts, Elizabeth March, Timothy Heeren, Sharon Coleman, Stephanie Ettinger de Cuba and John T. Cook. Pediatrics. (Published online Apr 12, 2010) 2010; 125(5).

Affordable Health Care Keeps Children and Families Healthy, July 2009.
In the third brief in its Policy Action series, Children's HealthWatch finds that the health of young children is negatively affected when parents have to forego health care for themselves or other adult members of the household or when parents have to forego payment of household expenses in order to pay for health care. Children in families who struggle to pay for health care are at increased risk for health problems, developmental delays and food insecurity. The health and well-being of their mothers also suffer. Access to quality, affordable health care for all family members is essential to children’s health and development. It is critical that all plan