FOOD for Lane County - Hunger affects children

Hunger affects one in three Lane County children

Oregon households with children are twice as likely as households without children to be food insecure, according to a 2003 Oregon State University study. Hunger and food insecurity are serious risk factors for children. Studies show that poor nutrition contributes to a host of immediate and long-term consequences, including risks to health, psychology, behavior, academic achievement and development.

Nearly one in three Lane County children ate from a food box at least once last year, according to a 2004 Hunger Factors Assessment Survey conducted by Oregon Food Bank and FOOD for Lane County.

More than one in five Oregon children live in a food-insecure household.

One in 15 Oregon children lives in a home that is so financially strapped that at least one household member goes hungry at times, according to the Oregon Center for Public Policy.

Read more about hunger's impact on children in Children First for Oregon's Strategies for Fighting Childhood Poverty in Oregon.

According to a study by Brandeis University, children who live in food-insecure households are more likely to be in poorer health than children who live in food-secure households. Children in hungry households are more likely to experience psychological and emotional distress including hyperactivity, aggression, withdrawn behavior and difficulty getting along with other children. Hunger affects children’s cognitive development. They are less likely to form friendships, to explore their surroundings, to be curious and to learn.