Cisapride and Patient Information Leaflets Letters Correspondance

dinal weights for the analyses in this cycle. However, only cross-sectional and longitudinal weights are calculated in the NLSCY file; bootstrap methodology is not used. In a forthcoming follow-up study of hunger in NLSCY families we compared adjusted prevalence rates of hunger in 1994 and 1996. The population estimates of child hunger in Canada using weights were 1.4% (53 995 children) and 1.6% (75 615 children) for 1994 and 1996 respectively. Bruce Leistikow’s argument is based on the presumption that the associations observed are causal; of course, such a relationship cannot be inferred from cross-sectional data. We offer another analysis: smoking in the primary caregiver is associated with hunger in the primary caregiver. Smoking is a coping mechanism for the physical and psychological stress of hunger. That being said, high tobacco taxes can be viewed as regressive taxes that target the tobacco-addicted poor, reducing family resources for food and other essentials. We can all agree on one thing: sensitive supports for tobacco cessation must be offered to low-income caregivers who smoke. Cessation will improve health and reduce the financial stress on households.