Booth Id:
BEHA009
Category:
Behavioral and Social Sciences
Year:
2023
Finalist Names:
Kher, Dia (School: The Mississippi School for Mathematics and Science)
Abstract:
Severe distances between grocery stores and a lack of transportation restrict residents from making trips for nutritious food, discriminating against poverty-ridden areas. Often trade-offs between traveling long distances for nutritious food and traveling short distances for unhealthy food take place where families choose the option in closer proximity. With about 12% of the children in the U.S. being food insecure since 2010, acts such as the Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act (HHFKA) and the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) seem to have no effect on this number despite lowering the percentage of obese students. Food Intelligence and Child Health are measured in a survey intended for parents of students enrolled in school. I test the relationship between household structure, sociodemographics, and food-oriented beliefs with eating behavior among children. It was found that household structure, sociodemographics, and food-oriented beliefs are valuable predictors in analyzing the access to nutrition in students. Parental food-oriented beliefs along with food availability and financial success are determining factors in quality nutritional intake in children. It is presented that food availability is not the only hindrance that parental figures face when providing nutritional meals.