Altered Daily Activities and Shame Resulting from Children Experiencing Food Insecurity in Rural South Carolina and Oregon
Authors: Frongillo Edward A , Bernal Jennifer , Adams Elizabeth , Massey Elizabeth , Rosemond Tiara , Blake Christine E 
Published: June 2021

Children are cognitively, emotionally, and physically aware of food insecurity and respond to it by participation in adult strategies, initiating their own, and generating resources. Food insecurity is substantially detrimental for children, resulting in behavior problems, disrupted social interactions, compromised school performance, poor diet, less physical activity, and poor health, but we lack empirical data on the possible mechanisms. Data from Venezuela suggest that child experiences of food insecurity result in alterations in child daily activities and shame, and that these in turn result in adverse behavior, social interactions, and school performance. This study investigated this possible mechanism in rural children in South Carolina and Oregon.

We conducted a qualitative study in 40 children (9–15 y), with 20 in each state. The children were living in rural poor neighborhoods and ethnically diverse. Their families had low income; children and their families were food‐insecure. Individual in‐depth interviews were conducted with children in private using an interview guide with open‐ended, semi‐structured questions. Interviews were recorded, transcribed, coded, and analyzed using Nvivo 10.

Alterations in activities occurred because of not having enough money and/or food. Children were exposed to lack of planning in activities after school, during weekends, and on vacations. Activities were low quality with respect to child health and development (e.g., phoning, texting, watching TV, “messing around”). Almost all children reported having responsibilities of chores at home, meaning less time being sedentary, resting, studying, and learning in after‐school activity. Some children, where one parent was absent, took adult responsibilities, such as taking care of siblings and doing more chores. During episodes of food insecurity, children had less frequent eating times together, disrupted eating pattern, or ate alone, or each member ate in different locations of home. Some rural children did healthy activities like having contacts with animals, gardening, or farming. All children who talked about receiving free lunch, free box of food, or visiting a food bank reported feeling shame; some did not want others to know about their situation. Children felt anger, sadness, frustration, and worry due to lack of food, and shame due to lack of food and receiving assistance. Some children interacted more with others to obtain food; others interacted less, and read, watched TV, did videogames, or slept. Some children missed school because of sleep disruptions or parental illness, which likely affected school performance.

Children experienced shame for being food insecure and receiving food assistance, and had altered daily activities, which resulted in changes in behavior, social interactions, and school performance. The shame experienced particularly in receiving food assistance was universal and powerful, suggesting shame as an important mechanism leading to consequences for children and raising concern about detrimental effects of providing food assistance directly to children.

Support or Funding Information

Economic Research Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture through the RIDGE Center for Targeted Studies at Purdue University