Association Between Food Insecurity and Developmental Delay and Behavioral Problems in US Children 2 to 5 Years of Age.

Objectives: To investigate the relationship between food insecurity and developmental delay and/or behavior problems (DD/PB) in US children aged 2 to 5 years before the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods: Data from 14,464 children aged 2 to 5 years from the National Survey of Children's Health from 2016 to 2017 were analyzed. Children with food insecurity came from families reporting they sometimes or often could not afford nutritious meals.