The researchers found that children in the United States are lacking safe access to food and water, highlighting that the problem is “more severe for black and Hispanic children.”
Children in the United States are experiencing a decline in safe access to food and water, according to a new study led by researchers at Pennsylvania State University.
The number of children facing simultaneous water and food insecurity in the United States more than doubled between 2005 and 2020. The study also found that Black and Hispanic children are “several times more likely than white children to experience simultaneous water and food insecurity.”
The study was conducted by Asher Rosinger, associate professor of biobehavioral health and anthropology at Pennsylvania State University, and Sela Young, associate professor of anthropology at Northwestern University.
The study itself was published in the journal Nature Water and included studies looking at water insecurity, food insecurity, and their co-occurrence among children in the United States.
To conduct their study, the researchers analyzed data on 18,252 children from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), a nationally representative assessment of health and nutrition that has been conducted annually since 1999 and sporadically since the 1960s.
While New Food frequently reports on the effects of food insecurity around the world, recent studies have focused on water insecurity. Researchers believe that water insecurity is linked to problems in mental health, physical health, nutrition and economic well-being. Meanwhile, food insecurity is linked to mental health problems, diabetes, malnutrition, obesity, cardiovascular disease and premature death.
The survey found that 4.6% of U.S. children experienced both water and food insecurity in 2005-06. Then, by the 2017-2020 survey cycle, the percentage of children nationwide who faced both issues rose to 10.3%, researchers found.
Lossinger noted that while rates of food and water insecurity improved overall throughout the 20th century, the researchers found that household food insecurity increased steadily and gradually over the study period.
In fact, water insecurity was also found to fluctuate between 2005 and 2013. Then, in 2013, the Flint, Michigan “water crisis” occurred, and between 2013 and 2020, the odds of water insecurity increased by 88 percent.
Water and food issues are “inherently linked,” according to the researchers, which is consistent with the authors' previous work showing an association between water and food insecurity in adults.
“Avoiding tap water is associated with other problems that negatively impact food and water intake. People who avoid tap water are less likely to prepare nutritious foods for their children because they don't have a reliable source of water at their kitchen tap. People who avoid tap water also have a higher intake of sugary drinks. Additionally, they may have less money to buy nutritious foods because they buy bottled water, which is much more expensive,” Rosinger said.
“By 2020, nearly 1 in 10 children experienced household food insecurity and avoided running water, and we know that the COVID-19 pandemic has only made food insecurity more widespread,” Rosinger continued.
“That means millions of children in this country face potential negative consequences to their mental health, their physical health and their economic future.”
A key part of the study explored “significant racial disparities” among children exposed to food and water insecurity in the U.S. The researchers found that, compared to the national average, the numbers for Hispanic children were “much higher,” with black children 3.5 times more likely than white children to experience simultaneous food and water insecurity.
Meanwhile, Hispanic children were more than seven times more likely to experience simultaneous food and water insecurity than white children.
“Access to safe and reliable water is a crucial part of water security, but trust in tap water is also an important factor for both children and their parents,” the researchers said, explaining that if parents don't trust the water, they are “less likely” to give it to their children for fear of making them sick.
Experts warn against falling into food insecurity
“Most people know that Flint, Michigan, experienced a crisis related to unsafe tap water, but Flint is a majority Black community. Since then, majority-minority communities such as Newark, New Jersey and Jackson, Mississippi have had highly visible problems with their water systems. When people see people who look like them on the news getting sick from their tap water, it exacerbates distrust. Additionally, minorities often have less access to services, especially those who live in low-income areas,” Rossinger continued.
“For all but the lowest income groups, children are more likely to become food insecure if they don't drink tap water. Low- and lower-middle-income children are affected the most, but even households with incomes several times the national poverty level have children who are more likely to become food insecure if they don't drink tap water.”
Overall, the study authors argued that water scarcity is expected to increase globally in the coming years as a result of pressures from climate change, population growth and ageing infrastructure.
“You can't manage what you can't measure, and the first step is understanding the scope of the problem. Avoidance of tap water is a big indicator of water scarcity, but we clearly need to better understand who is struggling and the scope of that struggling,” Young said.
Looking to the future, the researchers agree that despite the lack of a direct way to measure water scarcity in the United States, “there is much that can be done now to address water and food security in the country.”
The scholars outlined possible expansions of government programs such as the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).
“Today, many Americans think of water infrastructure as equating to water security. But tap water can be expensive, contaminated, in short supply or unavailable. And we mustn't forget that there are millions of Americans who live without running water,” Young said.
The team also emphasized that they believe policy changes “can reverse trends in water scarcity,” noting that other researchers have found that providing water filters to Hispanic households reduces mistrust of tap water, increases tap water consumption, and reduces reliance on bottled water.
Additionally, the researchers recommended home water testing to assess water safety, with Rosinger stating: “While millions of people lack safe, reliable drinking water, 99 percent of U.S. households have access to water through their home's pipes, and the vast majority of that water is clean and potable.”
“To restore confidence in our system, we must conduct testing that shows our water is safe, replace lead pipes, and install filters where the water is unsafe. These steps will ensure our nation's children have access to the clean water they need to grow and thrive, and ensure families do not suffer the extra financial and emotional stress caused by uncertainty about water quality.”
