Childhood Food Insecurity Tied to Higher BMI and Poorer Heart Health

A cohort study published in JAMA Cardiology highlights the long-term impact of early childhood food insecurity on cardiovascular health (CVH).

The Future of Families–Cardiovascular Health Among Young Adults study followed 1,071 children from birth (1998-2000) through young adulthood (2021-2023), with a mean age of 23.3 years at follow-up.

Food insecurity, assessed from the ages of 3 to 5, was reported in 39% of households per the US Department of Agriculture Food Insecurity survey; 44% of participants were enrolled in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) during childhood.

Early food insecurity was significantly associated with poorer CVH in young adulthood, measured by the American Heart Association Life’s Essential 8 (LE8) score. Specifically, food-insecure children had a 2.2-point lower LE8 score on average (95% CI, -4.0 to -0.4). The most prominent driver of this association was increased BMI, with a 4.9-point lower LE8 BMI score (95% CI, -9.6 to -0.3) and higher odds of obesity (BMI ≥30; adjusted odds ratio, 1.40; 95% CI, 1.07-1.84).

Among children whose families did not participate in SNAP, the association between food insecurity and lower LE8 scores was more pronounced (score, 4.9; 95% CI, -7.6 to −2.3) compared with those with SNAP support (score, 1.0; 95% CI, -1.6 to 3.7).

“This study suggests that early childhood food insecurity is associated with a higher BMI in young adulthood, which is associated with a worse overall LE8 score, especially among children whose families did not participate in SNAP. Policies to promote food security among children may promote healthy BMIs and better CVH across the life course,” the researchers concluded.

Reference

Lam EL, et al. JAMA Cardiol. Published online May 14, 2025. doi:10.1001/jamacardio.2025.1062