Food Insecurity and Depression among Low-Income Adults in the United States: Does Diet Diversity Play a Role? Findings from the 2013-14 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey

2020 ◽  
pp. 1-39
Author(s):  
Marie-Rachelle Narcisse Jean-Louis ◽  
Holly C. Felix ◽  
Christopher R. Long ◽  
Emily S. English ◽  
Mary M. Bailey ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT Objective Food insecurity is associated with a greater risk of depression among low-income adults in the United States. Members of food-insecure households have lower diet diversity than their food-secure counterparts. This study examined whether diet diversity moderates the association between food insecurity and depression. Design Multiple logistic regression was conducted to examine independent associations between food insecurity and depression, between diet diversity and depression, and the moderating effect of diet diversity in the food insecurity-depression link. Setting Cross-sectional data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2013-14). Participants 2,636 low-income adults aged 18 years and older. Results There was a positive association between food insecurity and depression among low-income adults. Diet diversity was not associated with depression. Diet diversity had a moderating effect on the association between food insecurity and depression among low-income adults Conclusion Food insecurity is independently associated with depression among low-income adults in the United States. However, this association differs across levels of diet diversity. Longitudinal studies are needed to confirm the role diet diversity may play in the pathway between food insecurity and depression.

2020 ◽  
Vol 34 (4) ◽  
pp. 359-365
Author(s):  
Caitlin Doerrmann ◽  
S. Cristina Oancea ◽  
Arielle Selya

Purpose: To determine whether weekly hours worked is associated with obesity among employed adults in the United States. Design: Data from the 2015 to 2016 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey were used for this study. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey is a cross-sectional study. Setting: National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey is conducted annually by the National Center for Health Statistics designed to assess the health and nutritional status of citizens in the United States. Participants: The final study sample size was 2,581. Measures: The outcome was obesity status (yes/no) and the exposure was the number of hours worked per week (<40, =40, >40 h/wk). Covariates of interest included in the analyses were income, age, education level, race, leisure-time physical activity, and gender. Analysis: A weighted and adjusted logistic regression model was conducted in order to investigate the association between the number of hours worked at a job per week and obesity status. Descriptive statistics and weighted and adjusted odds ratios were produced with 95% confidence intervals (CI). Results: After controlling for the covariates of interest, people working 40 or 40+ hours a week had 1.403 (95% CI: 1.06-1.85) and 1.409 (95% CI: 1.03-1.93) times significantly greater odds of obesity than those who work <40 hours a week, respectively. Conclusion: Obesity is a complex and multifactorial disease with genetic and environmental interactions, including the number of hours a person works/week as a potential risk factor.


Nutrients ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (12) ◽  
pp. 2952
Author(s):  
Yong Zhu ◽  
Neha Jain ◽  
Vipra Vanage ◽  
Norton Holschuh ◽  
Anne Hermetet Agler ◽  
...  

This study examined differences in dietary intake between ready-to-eat cereal eaters and non-eaters in adults from the United States. Participants (n = 5163) from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2015–2016 were included. One-day dietary recall was used to define ready-to-eat cereal consumption status and estimate dietary intake in eaters and non-eaters. Data from Food Patterns Equivalent Database 2015–2016 were used to compare intakes of food groups by consumption status. Diet quality was assessed by Healthy Eating Index 2015. Nineteen percent of US adults were ready-to-eat cereal eaters; they had a similar level of energy intake as non-eaters, but they had significantly higher intake of dietary fiber, and several vitamins and minerals, such as calcium, iron, magnesium, potassium, zinc, vitamin A, thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, vitamin B6, folate, vitamin B12, and vitamin D. They were also more likely to meet nutrient recommendations. Compared to non-eaters, ready-to-eat cereal eaters had the same level of added sugar intake but they had significantly higher intake of whole grains, total fruits, and dairy products. The diet quality of ready-to-eat cereal eaters was significantly higher than that of non-eaters. The study supports that ready-to-eat cereal eaters have better dietary intake with a healthier dietary pattern than non-eaters in the United States.


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