Childhood Reports of Food Neglect and Impulse Control Problems and Violence in Adulthood

Purpose: Although several studies point to a relationship between food insecurity and poor outcomes, relatively few investigations have examined the relationship between food neglect during childhood and later impulse control deficits and violence in adulthood, especially using nationally representative samples. We hypothesized that childhood experiences of food insecurity would be associated with not only poor impulse control, but also a higher likelihood of violence, especially among males, even after controlling for numerous sociodemographic and behavioral confounds.

Methods: The current study employed data from Wave I (2001-2002) and Wave II (2004-2005) of the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions (NESARC). The NESARC is a nationally representative sample of non-institutionalized U.S. residents aged 18 years and older. Data were collected through face-to-face structured interviews conducted by U.S. Census workers. Respondents were asked: “How often did a parent or other adult living in your home make you go hungry or not prepare you regular meals?” This variable was dichotomized to facilitate a clear distinction between the presence and absence of consistent or frequent exposure to childhood hunger. Four dichotomous (0 = no, 1 = yes) measures of violence and four variables related to impulse-control deficits were used. All analyses (logistic regression and structural equation modeling) controlled for lifetime DSM-IV clinical, personality, and substance use disorders, parental history of antisocial behavior, and sociodemographic variables (age, gender, race/ethnicity, household income, education, and marital status.

Results: Individuals reporting frequent hunger during childhood were significantly more likely to report a lifetime history of interpersonal violence (AOR = 2.08, 95% CI = 1.81-2.38) and stronger among males (AOR = 2.73, 95% CI = 2.15-3.45) than among women (AOR = 1.63, 95% CI = 1.36-1.96). Individuals reporting frequent hunger during childhood were significantly more likely to report challenges related to impulse-control (AOR = 1.97, 95% CI = 1.70-2.29). We also conducted an exploratory analysis using structural equation modeling in which we examined impulse-control deficits as a mediating factor between frequent hunger and interpersonal violence (χ2 = 2395.77 [DF = 121]), RMSEA = 0.024 [90% CI = 0.023-0.025], CFI = 0.951, TLI = 0.934) and the results of our modeling suggest that frequent hunger is associated with impulse-control deficits (Beta = 0.04, p < .001) which, in turn, is associated with interpersonal violence (Beta = 0.25, p < .001). We also identified a direct path from frequent hunger to interpersonal violence (Beta = 0.06, p < .001).

Conclusions: The consequences of hunger, whether by neglect or lack of resources to obtain food, are widespread but one major implication of the present study is that ameliorating hunger can potentially reduce violence. Thus, strategies that alleviate hunger and increase food security in turn can help to deflect one of the proximal mechanisms for violence, namely poor self-control. Importantly, from a political perspective hunger reduction strategies are likely to be supported from both the right and the left.