Older men from global settings more vulnerable to clinical changes associated with food insecurity

Abstract Background Studies of the food security status of older adults are rare outside of the United States, especially in low- and middle-income settings. Food insecurity may contribute to disease and disability. Using a diverse sample of older adults, we examine the association of food insecurity with clinical and self-reported measures that are related to disease and impairment. Methods Cross sectional analysis of 1482 older adults from Kingston and St. Hyacinthe (Canada), Tirana (Albania), Manizales (Colombia), and Natal (Brazil). Outcome measures were Body Mass Index (BMI), waist circumference, and self-reported unintentional weight loss. Food insecurity was assessed with the 9-item Latin American and Caribbean Household Food Security Scale. Covariates were age, sex, study site, and education. Statistical analyses included Student's T-test, Chi-square test, and linear regression. Results 83% of participants were food secure; 12% experienced mild food insecurity and 5%, moderate/severe food insecurity. Among men, BMI and waist circumference varied significantly by food security status (p < 0.05). Mean BMI among men with moderate/severe food insecurity was 25.5 compared to 27.0 for mild and 27.5 for no food insecurity. The pattern for waist circumference was similar (93.9cm for moderate/severe, 96.7cm for mild, and 98.9cm for no food insecurity). More food insecure men reported unintentional weight loss (13%) than food secure men (10%). This pattern was not observed among women. Statistical adjustment for study site, education, and age did not change the findings. Conclusions Significant differences in clinical indicators of disease were observed by food security status in men. At the extreme, low BMI and waist circumference are linked to increased risk of malnutrition, compromised immune function, and respiratory and digestive diseases. Differences in these measures by food security status emphasize the need for gender and age specific food security interventions. Key messages Food insecure men experience clinical indicators of disease significantly more than food insecure women. Successful food security interventions may require sex specific focus across global settings. Little research has been done on food insecurity in elderly outside of North America and study findings contribute to significant gap in sex specific research in this population across global settings.

Download Full-text

Measuring household food security: the global experience

Revista de Nutrição ◽

10.1590/s1415-52732008000700004 ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 21 (suppl) ◽

pp. 27s-37s ◽

Cited By ~ 23

Author(s):

Hugo Melgar-Quinonez ◽

Michelle Hackett

Keyword(s):

Food Security ◽

Food Insecurity ◽

The United States ◽

Household Food Security ◽

United States Department ◽

Department Of Agriculture ◽

Governmental Agencies ◽

Household Food ◽

Food Security Status ◽

New Research

Measuring household food insecurity represents a challenge due to the complexity and wide array of factors associated with this phenomenon. For over one decade, researchers and agencies throughout the world have been using and assessing the validity of variations of the United States Department of Agriculture Household Food Security Supplemental Module. Thanks to numerous studies of diverse design, size, and purpose, the Household Food Security Supplemental Module has shown its suitability to directly evaluate the perceptions of individuals on their food security status. In addition, challenges and limitations are becoming clearer and new research questions are emerging as the process advances. The purpose of this article is to describe the development, validation procedures, and use of the Household Food Security Supplemental Module in very diverse settings. The most common Household Food Security Supplemental Module related studies have been conducted using criterion validity, Rasch modeling and Cronbach-Alpha Coefficient. It is critical that researchers, policy makers, governmental and non-governmental agencies intensify their efforts to further develop tools that provide valid and reliable measures of food security in diverse population groups. Additional work is needed to synthesize a universally applicable tool able to capture the global human phenomenon of food insecurity.

Download Full-text

Food Insecurity among Senior Citizens in High Out-migration Areas: Evidence from Western Nepal

10.21203/rs.2.15487/v1 ◽

2019 ◽

Author(s):

Devendra Raj Singh ◽

Saruna Ghimire ◽

Eva M Jeffers ◽

Sunita Singh ◽

Dhirendra Nath ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Food Security ◽

Food Insecurity ◽

Senior Citizens ◽

Senior Citizen ◽

The United States ◽

Household Food Security ◽

United States Department ◽

Lower Odds ◽

Household Food ◽

Food Security Status

Abstract Background: Food insecurity is a critical public health challenge, in particular in low and middle-income countries. Nepal, a low-income country, is undergoing rapid demographic and epidemiological transitions with a growing population of senior citizens. However, the determinants of food security status among Nepali senior citizens are still unknown. This study aims to fill this gap focusing on the elderly populations in the far-western region, one of the poorest regions of the country. The study also aims to assess the potential impact of adult child migration on the food security status of the left behind elderly parents. Methods: A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 260 randomly selected senior citizens in the Kanchanpur district in far-western Nepal. The short form of the household food security scale, originally developed by the United States Department of Agriculture, was used to measure household food security. Associations were examined by means of logistic regression. Results: The prevalence of food insecurity, in senior citizens’ households, was 41.1%. Senior citizen households with their adult children’s migration (AOR= 0.49, 95% CI: 0.24- 0.98) had lower odds of being food insecure and households with lower family income (<$100 compared to ≥ $100) (AOR= 2.24, 95% CI: 1.08 - 4.65) had two times higher odds of being food insecure. Also, households owning a cultivable land/farm (AOR= 0.14, 95% CI: 0.05-0.37) and involved in agriculture (AOR= 0.29, 95% CI: 0.09-0.99) or business (AOR= 0.20, 95% CI: 0.05-0.74) had lower odds of being food insecure. Conclusion: The prevalence of food insecurity among households with senior citizen in Kanchanpur district was high and associated with migration status of adult children, household income and ethnicity. This calls for a greater policy response focused specifically on the households with elderly citizens and integration of gerontological evidence into the existing food security and nutrition strategies.

Download Full-text

1284Food insecurity and mental health features and behaviours in adults from Portugal

International Journal of Epidemiology ◽

10.1093/ije/dyab168.015 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 50 (Supplement_1) ◽

Author(s):

Ana Aguiar ◽

Isabel Maia ◽

Marta Pinto ◽

Raquel Duarte

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Food Security ◽

Food Insecurity ◽

Short Form ◽

The United States ◽

Categorical Variables ◽

Household Food Security ◽

Food Security Status ◽

Health Features ◽

The Relationship

Abstract Background COVID-19 pandemic has been affecting population’s health and economies, in which food insecurity appears as important concern, particularly considering its associations with mental health and adverse behaviours. This study explored the relationship between food insecurity and mental health features and behaviours in adults from Portugal. Methods A cross-sectional study using data from an online survey was performed, including Portugal’s residents aged ≥18 years. Data on sociodemographics, behaviours, mental health features and food security status were collected. Food security status was evaluated with the United States Household Food Security Survey Module: Six-item Short Form. Chi-square test or Fisher's exact test, as appropriate, were used to explore the relationship between food security status and categorical variables. Results Food insecurity prevalence was 6.8%; showed to be significantly higher among less educated individuals (≤12 years of schooling) (p<0.001), those who were employed and remained since the beginning of the pandemic (p<0.001) and among those reporting need to be careful about expenses (p<0.001). Comparing to individuals who were food secure, food insecure participants were more likely to smoke (p=0.009), to report depressive symptoms (p<0.001) and anxiety (p<0.001), measured by the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. Conclusions From the present study, it can be concluded that the COVID-19 pandemic can affect food security in different subpopulations. Key messages The findings of this study have several implications for health policy and reinforce the need for investment in contexts of populations vulnerable to food insecurity

Download Full-text

High food insecurity in Latinx families and associated COVID-19 infection in the Greater Bay Area, California

BMC Nutrition ◽

10.1186/s40795-021-00419-1 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 7 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Milagro Escobar ◽

Andrea DeCastro Mendez ◽

Maria Romero Encinas ◽

Sofia Villagomez ◽

Janet M. Wojcicki

Keyword(s):

Food Security ◽

Food Insecurity ◽

San Francisco ◽

Employment Status ◽

The United States ◽

Household Food Security ◽

Bay Area ◽

Household Food ◽

History Of ◽

The Impact

Abstract Background Food insecurity impacts nearly one-in-four Latinx households in the United States and has been exacerbated by the novel coronavirus or COVID-19 pandemic. Methods We examined the impact of COVID-19 on household and child food security in three preexisting, longitudinal, Latinx urban cohorts in the San Francisco Bay Area (N = 375 households, 1875 individuals). Households were initially recruited during pregnancy and postpartum at Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital (ZSFG) and UCSF Benioff prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. For this COVID-19 sub-study, participants responded to a 15-min telephonic interview. Participants answered 18 questions from the US Food Security Food Module (US HFSSM) and questions on types of food consumption, housing and employment status, and history of COVID-19 infection as per community or hospital-based testing. Food security and insecurity levels were compared with prior year metrics. Results We found low levels of household food security in Latinx families (by cohort: 29.2%; 34.2%; 60.0%) and child food security (56.9%, 54.1%, 78.0%) with differences between cohorts explained by self-reported levels of education and employment status. Food security levels were much lower than those reported previously in two cohorts where data had been recorded from prior years. Reported history of COVID-19 infection in households was 4.8% (95% Confidence Interval (CI); 1.5–14.3%); 7.2% (95%CI, 3.6–13.9%) and 3.5% (95%CI, 1.7–7.2%) by cohort and was associated with food insecurity in the two larger cohorts (p = 0.03; p = 0.01 respectively). Conclusions Latinx families in the Bay Area with children are experiencing a sharp rise in food insecurity levels during the COVID-19 epidemic. Food insecurity, similar to other indices of poverty, is associated with increased risk for COVID-19 infection. Comprehensive interventions are needed to address food insecurity in Latinx populations and further studies are needed to better assess independent associations between household food insecurity, poor nutritional health and risk of COVID-19 infection.

Download Full-text

Household food security status and associated factors among high-school students in Esfahan, Iran

Public Health Nutrition ◽

10.1017/s1368980010000467 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 13 (10) ◽

pp. 1609-1613 ◽

Cited By ~ 21

Author(s):

Assieh Mohammadzadeh ◽

Ahmadreza Dorosty ◽

Mohammadreza Eshraghian

Keyword(s):

High School ◽

High School Students ◽

Food Security ◽

Food Insecurity ◽

High Energy ◽

Household Food Security ◽

School Students ◽

Household Food ◽

Food Security Status ◽

Food Insecure Households

AbstractObjectiveThe present study was designed to determine household food security status and factors associated with food insecurity among high-school students in Esfahan, Iran.DesignCross-sectional surveys.SettingThe present study was conducted in autumn 2008 in Esfahan, Iran. The samples were selected using systematic cluster sampling. Socio-economic questionnaires, food security questionnaires and FFQ were filled out during face-to-face interviews. In addition, data on participants’ weights and heights were collected.SubjectsA total of 580 students (261 boys and 319 girls) aged 14–17 years from forty high schools in Esfahan, Iran, were selected.ResultsThe prevalence of household food insecurity according to the US Department of Agriculture food security questionnaire was 36·6 % (95 % CI 0·33, 0·40). Food insecurity was positively associated with number of members in the household (P < 0·05) and negatively associated with parental education level and job status and household economic status (P < 0·05). Moreover, students living in food-insecure households more frequently consumed bread, macaroni, potato and egg (P < 0·05), while they less frequently consumed rice, red meat, sausage and hamburger, poultry, fish, green vegetables, root and bulb (coloured) vegetables, melons, apples and oranges, milk and yoghurt (P < 0·05).ConclusionsFood insecurity was prevalent among households in Esfahan, Iran, and food security status was associated with socio-economic factors. Students who belonged to food-secure households more frequently consumed healthy foods (except sausage and hamburger), whereas those living in food-insecure households more frequently consumed cheap foods containing high energy per kilogram. The present study suggests that intervention programmes be designed and carried out.

Download Full-text

Quality of diet related to food insecurity and food stamps use among older people

Ageing Research ◽

10.4081/ar.2011.e3 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 2 (1) ◽

pp. 3 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Maria F Montoya ◽

Andre W Hite ◽

Patricia Rohrbeck ◽

Binky Bawa ◽

Oladayo O Akinwolemiwa ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Food Security ◽

Food Insecurity ◽

Diet Quality ◽

The United States ◽

Healthy Eating Index ◽

Food Stamps ◽

Older Individuals ◽

Cross Sectional Survey ◽

Food Security Status

We explore the association between quality of diet and food security status among older persons. Cross-sectional survey of large national samples, from the National Health & Nutrition Examination Surveys (1988-1994 & 2001-2002), in the United States. A total of 5,039 and 2,040 men and women aged 60 and older, respectively. The dependent variable was the healthy eating index (HEI; 2000 and 2005) as a measure of diet quality. The independent variable of interest was food security status and was categorized as food secure, food insecurity receiving food stamps and food insecurity not receiving food stamps. In multivariate analyses, food insecure individuals not receiving food stamps had lower total HEI-2000 scores compared to food secure individuals (b=-3.91, SE=1.81, P=0.0310). Factors independently associated with high HEI (2000 or 2005) scores were female gender, being married, highly educated or wealthy, with very good/ excellent perceived health, or without functional limitations. Food secure individuals had better quality of diet than food insecure individuals. Among food insecure individuals, receiving food stamps was not associated with diet quality. Food insecure families with older individuals may need new methods of dissemination of food and nutrition programs – methods that yield positive and promising changes in the health status of this special population group.

Download Full-text

Infants from Food Insecure Households Have Altered Gut Microbiota (OR01-03-19)

Current Developments in Nutrition ◽

10.1093/cdn/nzz040.or01-03-19 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽

Author(s):

Sara Benjamin-Neelon ◽

Moira Differding ◽

Noel Mueller

Keyword(s):

Food Security ◽

Gut Microbiota ◽

Food Insecurity ◽

Household Food Security ◽

Sequence Variants ◽

Microbiota Composition ◽

Household Food ◽

Food Security Status ◽

Food Insecure Households ◽

Gut Microbiota Composition

Abstract Objectives Infancy represents a critical period for growth and development. Food insecurity (defined as the limited availability of nutritionally adequate and safe foods) in early life may have both immediate and long-term health implications. Some limited evidence suggests that food insecurity in adults may influence the gut microbiota composition, perhaps through a lack of dietary diversity. A number of studies also link malnutrition with alterations in the gut microbiota in children. However, associations between food insecurity and the gut microbiota have yet to be explored in children and especially in infants, who may have had little exposure to foods other than human milk and formula. Methods Participants were from the Nurture study, a birth cohort of predominately black women and their infants residing in the southeastern United States. We collected stool samples from 68 infants 3 months after birth. Our exposure was household food security status assessed when infants were between 2 and 3 months. We used the US Household Food Security Survey Module: Six-Item Short Form. We grouped scores of 0–1 (full or marginal food security) as food secure and 2–6 (low or very low food security) as food insecure, consistent with prior studies. For the 3-month outcome, we used an Illumina MiSeq to conduct paired-end sequencing of the 16S rRNA V4 region. We used beta-binomial regression to determine differential abundance of microbiota according to food security status. Two-sided FDR corrected P-values < 0.05 were considered significant. We adjusted for delivery method (C-section versus vaginal), breastfeeding (never versus any), and timing of introduction to solid foods (at or before 3 months versus after 3 months of age). Results Demographic characteristics of mothers and infants from food insecure households (n = 20) resembled those from food secure households (n = 45). The relative abundance of 16 microbial amplicon sequence variants were lower in food insecure infants, and 3 microbial amplicon sequence variants were higher in food secure infants (Figure). Conclusions Findings from our birth cohort suggest that infants from food insecure households had altered gut microbiota composition at 3 months of age. Future research is warranted to provide mechanistic insight into these potentially novel associations. Funding Sources NIDDK, National Institutes of Health. Supporting Tables, Images and/or Graphs

Download Full-text

Household Food Insecurity in Southeastern Iran: Severity and Related Factors

International Journal of Food Science ◽

10.1155/2017/7536024 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 2017 ◽

pp. 1-7 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Zinat Mortazavi ◽

Ahmad Reza Dorosty ◽

Mohammad Reza Eshraghian ◽

Mohtasham Ghaffari ◽

Alireza Ansari-Moghaddam ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Food Security ◽

Food Insecurity ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Household Food Security ◽

Household Food Insecurity ◽

Healthy Foods ◽

Related Factors ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Household Food ◽

Food Security Status

Background.Today, more than one billion people globally suffer from poverty and food insecurity. This study aimed to determine the severity of and factors related to household food insecurity in Zahedan, Southeastern Iran.Methods.This cross-sectional study was conducted on a total of 2,160 households between November 2014 and December 2015. Demographic and socioeconomic data were collected through interviewing the household mothers. Household food security status was assessed through the USDA 18-item questionnaire. The data were analyzed using chi-square test, one-way ANOVA, and logistic regression model.Results.Total food insecurity in the households investigated was 58.8%. There were significant associations (P<0.001) between household food insecurity status and the socioeconomic status of the households, ethnicity, education, age, and employment status of the head of the household and the mother of the household.Discussion.The results showed that more than half of the households examined suffer from food insecurity. Interventions to improve the food security status of people should be designed and implemented to improve people’s knowledge, skills, and attitudes related to healthy eating and food preparation. People’s access to healthy foods and knowledge of how to select healthy foods (especially on a limited budget) should also be improved.

Download Full-text

Using Household Fit Indices to Examine the Psychometric Quality of Food Insecurity Measures

Educational and Psychological Measurement ◽

10.1177/0013164417728317 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 78 (6) ◽

pp. 1089-1107 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

George Engelhard ◽

Matthew P. Rabbitt ◽

Emily M. Engelhard

Keyword(s):

Food Security ◽

Food Insecurity ◽

The United States ◽

Household Food Security ◽

Household Food Insecurity ◽

Fit Indices ◽

Household Level ◽

Household Food ◽

Psychometric Quality

This study focuses on model–data fit with a particular emphasis on household-level fit within the context of measuring household food insecurity. Household fit indices are used to examine the psychometric quality of household-level measures of food insecurity. In the United States, measures of food insecurity are commonly obtained from the U.S. Household Food Security Survey Module (HFSSM, 18 items) of the Current Population Survey Food Security Supplement (CPS-FSS). These measures, in various forms, are used to inform national programs and policies related to food insecurity. Data for low-income households with children from recent administrations of the HFSSM (2012-2014) are used in this study ( N = 7,324). The results suggest that there are detectable levels of misfit with Infit mean square error (MSE) statistics ranging from 6.73 % to 21.33% and Outfit MSE statistics ranging from 5.31% to 9.68%. The data suggest for Outfit MSE statistics that (a) male respondents, (b) respondents with lower levels of education, and (c) respondents who did not report participating in SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, formerly the Food Stamp Program) tend to have more misfit. For Infit MSE statistics, lack of homeownership appears to be a predictor of misfit. The implications of this research for future research, theory, and policy related to the measurement of household food insecurity are discussed.

Download Full-text

Food Insecurity and COVID-19: Disparities in Early Effects for US Adults

Nutrients ◽

10.3390/nu12061648 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 12 (6) ◽

pp. 1648 ◽

Cited By ~ 23

Author(s):

Julia A. Wolfson ◽

Cindy W. Leung

Keyword(s):

Food Security ◽

Food Insecurity ◽

Low Income ◽

Basic Needs ◽

Poverty Line ◽

The United States ◽

Household Food Security ◽

The Us ◽

Federal Poverty Line ◽

Early Effects

The COVID-19 pandemic has dramatically increased food insecurity in the United States (US). The objective of this study was to understand the early effects of the COVID-19 pandemic among low-income adults in the US as social distancing measures began to be implemented. On 19–24 March 2020 we fielded a national, web-based survey (53% response rate) among adults with <250% of the federal poverty line in the US (N = 1478). Measures included household food security status and COVID-19-related basic needs challenges. Overall, 36% of low-income adults in the US were food secure, 20% had marginal food security, and 44% were food insecure. Less than one in five (18.8%) of adults with very low food security reported being able to comply with public health recommendations to purchase two weeks of food at a time. For every basic needs challenge, food-insecure adults were significantly more likely to report facing that challenge, with a clear gradient effect based on severity of food security. The short-term effects of the COVID-19 pandemic are magnifying existing disparities and disproportionately affecting low-income, food-insecure households that already struggle to meet basic needs. A robust, comprehensive policy response is needed to mitigate food insecurity as the pandemic progresses.

Download Full-text