ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Food insecurity impacts nearly one-in-four Latinx households in the United States and has been exacerbated by the novel coronavirus or COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: We examined the impact of COVID-19 on household and child food security in three preexisting, longitudinal, Latinx urban cohorts in the San Francisco Bay Area (N = 375 households, 1875 individuals). Households were initially recruited during pregnancy and postpartum at Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital (ZSFG) and UCSF Benioff prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. For this COVID-19 sub-study, participants responded to a 15-min telephonic interview. Participants answered 18 questions from the US Food Security Food Module (US HFSSM) and questions on types of food consumption, housing and employment status, and history of COVID-19 infection as per community or hospital-based testing. Food security and insecurity levels were compared with prior year metrics. RESULTS: We found low levels of household food security in Latinx families (by cohort: 29.2%; 34.2%; 60.0%) and child food security (56.9%, 54.1%, 78.0%) with differences between cohorts explained by self-reported levels of education and employment status. Food security levels were much lower than those reported previously in two cohorts where data had been recorded from prior years. Reported history of COVID-19 infection in households was 4.8% (95% Confidence Interval (CI); 1.5-14.3%); 7.2% (95%CI, 3.6-13.9%) and 3.5% (95%CI, 1.7-7.2%) by cohort and was associated with food insecurity in the two larger cohorts (p = 0.03; p = 0.01 respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Latinx families in the Bay Area with children are experiencing a sharp rise in food insecurity levels during the COVID-19 epidemic. Food insecurity, similar to other indices of poverty, is associated with increased risk for COVID-19 infection. Comprehensive interventions are needed to address food insecurity in Latinx populations and further studies are needed to better assess independent associations between household food insecurity, poor nutritional health and risk of COVID-19 infection.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Klotho is an anti-aging protein mainly expressed in the kidneys with a smaller amount expressed in adipose tissue. Klotho effects include roles in reducing oxidative stress, insulin signaling, adipogenesis and glucose metabolism. Few studies have investigated the role of dietary factors such as sugar sweetened beverages (SSBs) on serum α-klotho levels in young children. METHODS: Data was collected from 60 low-income Latina pregnant women and their infants in San Francisco from birth until 2 years of life and examined for associations between dietary factors and child secreted α-klotho protein levels at 2 years. RESULTS: Mean α-klotho levels were 1782.96 ± 874.56 pg/mL at 2 years of age. Any consumption of SSBs was independently associated with increased α-klotho levels (Beta = 682.79, 95%CI 67.50, 1298.09; p = 0.03). Household income ranging from $25,000 to $50,000 was also correlated to higher levels of α-klotho in children compared with lower income levels (<$25,000) (Beta = 1613.35, 95%CI 527.37, 2699.33; p = 0.005). CONCLUSIONS: The positive association between SSB intake and α-klotho levels at 2 years may reflect higher phosphate levels consistent with SSB intake. Higher socioeconomic status may be a proxy for reduced stress exposure in children, also associated with higher α-klotho levels. Future studies should evaluate the early impact of exposures to SSBs, stress and accelerated aging in children.
