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Associations Between Household Food Insecurity and Participation in Nutrition Assistance Programs, and Ultraprocessed Food Consumption and Diet Quality Among Pregnant Women in NHANES, 2001–2018.

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Title: Associations Between Household Food Insecurity and Participation in Nutrition Assistance Programs, and Ultraprocessed Food Consumption and Diet Quality Among Pregnant Women in NHANES, 2001–2018.
Authors: Fernández, Cristina R., Kahwaji, Sandra H., Koch, Pamela A., Wolf, Randi L., Martínez-Steele, Eurídice, Cadenhead, Jennifer W.
Source: American Journal of Public Health. Jul2026, Vol. 116 Issue 7, p971-980. 10p.
Subjects: Packaged foods, Food quality, Cross-sectional method, Food consumption, Secondary analysis, Research funding, Food security, Mothers, Maternal-child health services, Evaluation of human services programs, Questionnaires, Socioeconomic factors, Pregnant women, Nutritional requirements, Families, Descriptive statistics, Home environment, Surveys, Food relief, Health behavior, Comparative studies, Data analysis software, Sociodemographic factors, Regression analysis, Diet, Nutrition education
Geographic Terms: United States
Abstract: Objectives. To examine associations between (1) food insecurity and participation in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), and (2) ultraprocessed food (UPF) consumption and Healthy Eating Index–2020 (HEI) score among US pregnant women. Methods. We analyzed data from pregnant women (n = 1286) across 9 waves of National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys, from 2001 to 2018. We assessed UPF consumption, as percentage of energy from Nova Group 4 classification, and HEI. Multivariable regressions estimated associations of food insecurity and WIC or SNAP participation with UPF consumption and HEI. Results. Food insecurity affected 20% of women and was associated with lower HEI (B = −3.8; SE = 1.4; P =.01) but not UPF consumption. UPF consumption did not differ by WIC or SNAP participation status (P >.05). WIC participants had higher HEI while SNAP participants had lower HEI (P =.01). Conclusions. Food insecurity was linked to lower prenatal HEI but not UPF consumption. WIC may improve otherwise low prenatal HEI; unchanged UPF consumption, irrespective of nutrition assistance beneficiary status, warrants public health and nutrition education strategies to reduce UPF consumption and scale access to affordable, less-processed, nutritious foods. (Am J Public Health. 2026;116(7):971–980. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2026.308507) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Copyright of American Journal of Public Health is the property of American Public Health Association and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
Database: Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection
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  Data: Associations Between Household Food Insecurity and Participation in Nutrition Assistance Programs, and Ultraprocessed Food Consumption and Diet Quality Among Pregnant Women in NHANES, 2001–2018.
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Fernández%2C+Cristina+R%2E%22">Fernández, Cristina R.</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Kahwaji%2C+Sandra+H%2E%22">Kahwaji, Sandra H.</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Koch%2C+Pamela+A%2E%22">Koch, Pamela A.</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Wolf%2C+Randi+L%2E%22">Wolf, Randi L.</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Martínez-Steele%2C+Eurídice%22">Martínez-Steele, Eurídice</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Cadenhead%2C+Jennifer+W%2E%22">Cadenhead, Jennifer W.</searchLink>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22American+Journal+of+Public+Health%22">American Journal of Public Health</searchLink>. Jul2026, Vol. 116 Issue 7, p971-980. 10p.
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Packaged+foods%22">Packaged foods</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Food+quality%22">Food quality</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Cross-sectional+method%22">Cross-sectional method</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Food+consumption%22">Food consumption</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Secondary+analysis%22">Secondary analysis</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Research+funding%22">Research funding</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Food+security%22">Food security</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Mothers%22">Mothers</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Maternal-child+health+services%22">Maternal-child health services</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Evaluation+of+human+services+programs%22">Evaluation of human services programs</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Questionnaires%22">Questionnaires</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Socioeconomic+factors%22">Socioeconomic factors</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Pregnant+women%22">Pregnant women</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Nutritional+requirements%22">Nutritional requirements</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Families%22">Families</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Descriptive+statistics%22">Descriptive statistics</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Home+environment%22">Home environment</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Surveys%22">Surveys</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Food+relief%22">Food relief</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Health+behavior%22">Health behavior</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Comparative+studies%22">Comparative studies</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Data+analysis+software%22">Data analysis software</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Sociodemographic+factors%22">Sociodemographic factors</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Regression+analysis%22">Regression analysis</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Diet%22">Diet</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Nutrition+education%22">Nutrition education</searchLink>
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  Group: Su
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22United+States%22">United States</searchLink>
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: Objectives. To examine associations between (1) food insecurity and participation in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), and (2) ultraprocessed food (UPF) consumption and Healthy Eating Index–2020 (HEI) score among US pregnant women. Methods. We analyzed data from pregnant women (n = 1286) across 9 waves of National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys, from 2001 to 2018. We assessed UPF consumption, as percentage of energy from Nova Group 4 classification, and HEI. Multivariable regressions estimated associations of food insecurity and WIC or SNAP participation with UPF consumption and HEI. Results. Food insecurity affected 20% of women and was associated with lower HEI (B = −3.8; SE = 1.4; P =.01) but not UPF consumption. UPF consumption did not differ by WIC or SNAP participation status (P >.05). WIC participants had higher HEI while SNAP participants had lower HEI (P =.01). Conclusions. Food insecurity was linked to lower prenatal HEI but not UPF consumption. WIC may improve otherwise low prenatal HEI; unchanged UPF consumption, irrespective of nutrition assistance beneficiary status, warrants public health and nutrition education strategies to reduce UPF consumption and scale access to affordable, less-processed, nutritious foods. (Am J Public Health. 2026;116(7):971–980. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2026.308507) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
– Name: AbstractSuppliedCopyright
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  Data: <i>Copyright of American Journal of Public Health is the property of American Public Health Association and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
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RecordInfo BibRecord:
  BibEntity:
    Identifiers:
      – Type: doi
        Value: 10.2105/AJPH.2026.308507
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      – Code: eng
        Text: English
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    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Packaged foods
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Food quality
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Cross-sectional method
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Food consumption
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Secondary analysis
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Research funding
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Food security
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Mothers
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Maternal-child health services
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Evaluation of human services programs
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Questionnaires
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Socioeconomic factors
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Pregnant women
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Nutritional requirements
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Families
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Descriptive statistics
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Home environment
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Surveys
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      – SubjectFull: Food relief
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      – SubjectFull: Health behavior
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      – SubjectFull: Comparative studies
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      – SubjectFull: Data analysis software
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      – SubjectFull: Sociodemographic factors
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      – SubjectFull: Regression analysis
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      – SubjectFull: Diet
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      – SubjectFull: Nutrition education
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      – SubjectFull: United States
        Type: general
    Titles:
      – TitleFull: Associations Between Household Food Insecurity and Participation in Nutrition Assistance Programs, and Ultraprocessed Food Consumption and Diet Quality Among Pregnant Women in NHANES, 2001–2018.
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              Text: Jul2026
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