Food insecurity is associated with poor mental health outcomes among a diverse sample of young adults
Abstract Objective: Young adulthood is a transitional period between childhood and adulthood characterised by unique stressors that increase the risk of food insecurity and poor mental health. This study examined the association between food insecurity and mental health outcomes among U.S. young a...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Cambridge University Press
2025-01-01
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| Series: | Public Health Nutrition |
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| Online Access: | https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S1368980025100530/type/journal_article |
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| author | Natalie S. Poulos Sarah A. Pitman Cayley E. Velazquez Keryn E. Pasch |
| author_facet | Natalie S. Poulos Sarah A. Pitman Cayley E. Velazquez Keryn E. Pasch |
| author_sort | Natalie S. Poulos |
| collection | DOAJ |
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Abstract
Objective:
Young adulthood is a transitional period between childhood and adulthood characterised by unique stressors that increase the risk of food insecurity and poor mental health. This study examined the association between food insecurity and mental health outcomes among U.S. young adults aged 18–25.
Design:
A cross-sectional survey was completed by young adults between the ages of 18 and 25 years between January and April 2022. Key measures included food insecurity, perceived stress, anxiety, depressive symptoms and insomnia. Descriptive statistics and linear regression analyses were used to determine the prevalence of and associations between food insecurity and mental health outcomes, controlling for key demographic and social factors.
Setting:
Online survey.
Participants:
1630 U.S. young adults.
Results:
Among the analytic sample of 1041 young adults, nearly 70 % of participants identified as being food insecure in the last year. Participants reported moderate to high levels of perceived stress, anxiety, depressive symptoms and insomnia. Food insecurity was positively associated with each mental health outcome including perceived stress (β = 2·28, P< 0·01), anxiety (β = 2·84, P< 0·01), depressive symptoms (β = 2·74, P< 0·01) and insomnia (β = 1·28, P< 0·01) after controlling for all other factors.
Conclusion:
Food insecurity is associated with mental health problems among young adults. Future efforts should explore the directionality of this relationship to determine if food insecurity initiates or exacerbates poor mental health outcomes or if poor mental health contributes to food insecurity. Interventions to improve food security status may also help support mental health among young adults.
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| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-2e3fc7a465b74ac6bc468a0cdbb14bd6 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1368-9800 1475-2727 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | Cambridge University Press |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Public Health Nutrition |
| spelling | doaj-art-2e3fc7a465b74ac6bc468a0cdbb14bd62025-08-20T03:33:31ZengCambridge University PressPublic Health Nutrition1368-98001475-27272025-01-012810.1017/S1368980025100530Food insecurity is associated with poor mental health outcomes among a diverse sample of young adultsNatalie S. Poulos0https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3543-0786Sarah A. Pitman1Cayley E. Velazquez2Keryn E. Pasch3https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9267-2765Department of Nutritional Sciences, The University of Texas at Austin, 200 West 24th Street, Austin, TX 78705, USADepartment of Kinesiology and Health Education, The University of Texas at Austin, 2109 San Jacinto, Austin, TX 78705, USADepartment of Biological and Health Sciences, Kwantlen Polytechnic University, 12666 72 Avenue, Surrey, BC V3W 2M8, CanadaDepartment of Kinesiology and Health Education, The University of Texas at Austin, 2109 San Jacinto, Austin, TX 78705, USA Abstract Objective: Young adulthood is a transitional period between childhood and adulthood characterised by unique stressors that increase the risk of food insecurity and poor mental health. This study examined the association between food insecurity and mental health outcomes among U.S. young adults aged 18–25. Design: A cross-sectional survey was completed by young adults between the ages of 18 and 25 years between January and April 2022. Key measures included food insecurity, perceived stress, anxiety, depressive symptoms and insomnia. Descriptive statistics and linear regression analyses were used to determine the prevalence of and associations between food insecurity and mental health outcomes, controlling for key demographic and social factors. Setting: Online survey. Participants: 1630 U.S. young adults. Results: Among the analytic sample of 1041 young adults, nearly 70 % of participants identified as being food insecure in the last year. Participants reported moderate to high levels of perceived stress, anxiety, depressive symptoms and insomnia. Food insecurity was positively associated with each mental health outcome including perceived stress (β = 2·28, P< 0·01), anxiety (β = 2·84, P< 0·01), depressive symptoms (β = 2·74, P< 0·01) and insomnia (β = 1·28, P< 0·01) after controlling for all other factors. Conclusion: Food insecurity is associated with mental health problems among young adults. Future efforts should explore the directionality of this relationship to determine if food insecurity initiates or exacerbates poor mental health outcomes or if poor mental health contributes to food insecurity. Interventions to improve food security status may also help support mental health among young adults. https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S1368980025100530/type/journal_articleYoung AdultsMental healthDepressive symptomsAnxietyStressInsomniaFood insecurityCOVID-19 |
| spellingShingle | Natalie S. Poulos Sarah A. Pitman Cayley E. Velazquez Keryn E. Pasch Food insecurity is associated with poor mental health outcomes among a diverse sample of young adults Public Health Nutrition Young Adults Mental health Depressive symptoms Anxiety Stress Insomnia Food insecurity COVID-19 |
| title | Food insecurity is associated with poor mental health outcomes among a diverse sample of young adults |
| title_full | Food insecurity is associated with poor mental health outcomes among a diverse sample of young adults |
| title_fullStr | Food insecurity is associated with poor mental health outcomes among a diverse sample of young adults |
| title_full_unstemmed | Food insecurity is associated with poor mental health outcomes among a diverse sample of young adults |
| title_short | Food insecurity is associated with poor mental health outcomes among a diverse sample of young adults |
| title_sort | food insecurity is associated with poor mental health outcomes among a diverse sample of young adults |
| topic | Young Adults Mental health Depressive symptoms Anxiety Stress Insomnia Food insecurity COVID-19 |
| url | https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S1368980025100530/type/journal_article |
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