Household food insecurity among recent immigrants to Canada: A quantitative analysis

Background: Immigrants comprise over one-fifth of the Canadian population and are consistently shown to have a higher prevalence of household food insecurity than the general population. Methods: Using the 2011 Canadian Community Health Survey, a multivariate logistic regression was used to evaluate immigration, economic and household characteristics for associations with increased odds of food insecurity. Results: Number of years since arrival, region of birth, region of settlement within Canada and non-use of an official language in the household are significantly associated with household food insecurity as are some economic and household characteristics. Households present for 6-10 years have higher odds of being food insecure than those which arrived more recently, and households in which neither English nor French are spoken are less likely than others to be food insecure. Discussion: Further research is required in order to determine what places certain immigrant households at higher risk of food insecurity.