Table 5 The association between dietary patterns and food insecurity
Dietary practices of participants | Frequency n = 699 | Food secure | At risk hunger | Experiencing hunger | p-value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Number of meals eaten per day | Â | 0.000 | |||
 Once | 30 | 7 (3.1) | 10 (4.0) | 13 (5.9) |  |
 Twice | 324 | 79 (35.3) | 146 (58.6) | 99 (44.6) | |
 Three times | 309 | 120 (53.6) | 86 (34.5) | 103 (46.4) | |
 Four times and more | 32 | 18 (8.0) | 7 (2.8) | 7 (3.2) | |
Eating of breakfast | Â | 0.335 | |||
 Yes | 651 | 210 (92.9) | 237 (95.2) | 204 (91.9) |  |
 No | 46 | 16 (7.1) | 12 (4.8) | 18 (8.1) | |
Frequency of eating breakfast | Â | 0.000 | |||
 Daily | 419 | 178 (78.8) | 138 (55.4) | 103 (46.4) |  |
 2–3 times a week | 225 | 32 (14.2) | 93 (37.3) | 100 (45.0) | |
 4–6 times a week | 28 | 8 (3.5) | 14 (5.6) | 6 (2.7) | |
 Do not eat | 25 | 8 (3.5) | 4 (1.6) | 13 (5.9) | |
Prepare food at home | Â | 0.058 | |||
 Yes | 642 | 206 (91.2) | 229 (92.0) | 207 (93.2) |  |
 No | 44 | 17 (7.5) | 27 (4.8) | 15 (6.8) | |
 At times | 11 | 3 (1.3) | 8 (1.7) | 0 (0.0) | |
Daily eating of fruit and vegetables | Â | 0.118 | |||
 Yes | 648 | 204 (90.3) | 237 (95.2) | 205 (92.3) |  |
 No | 49 | 22 (9.7) | 12 (4.8) | 17 (7.7) | |
Food eaten as a snack | Â | 0.196 | |||
 Fruit | 273 | 88 (38.9) | 91 (36.5) | 94 (42.3) |  |
 NikNaks | 25 | 85 (37.6) | 82 (32.9) | 83 (37.4) | |
 Chocolates/sweets | 99 | 30 (13.3) | 48 (18.5) | 23 (10.4) | |
 Peanuts | 27 | 5 (2.2) | 13 (5.2) | 9 (4.1) | |
 Other | 48 | 18 (8.0) | 17 (6.8) | 13 (5.9) | |
Participant’s eating partner at home |  | 0.075 | |||
 Alone | 550 | 168 (74.3) | 204 (81.9) | 178 (80.2) |  |
 Parent | 35 | 14 (6.2) | 10 (4.0) | 11 (5.0) | |
 Sibling | 61 | 19 (8.4) | 18 (7.2) | 24 (10.8) | |
 Combination | 51 | 25 (11.1) | 17 (6.8) | 9 (4.1) | |