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Food Insecurity and Mental Health among Females in High-Income Countries

Author

Listed:
  • Merryn Maynard

    (Meal Exchange Canada, Toronto, ON M5V 3A8, Canada)

  • Lesley Andrade

    (School of Public Health and Health Systems, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON N2L 3G1, Canada)

  • Sara Packull-McCormick

    (School of Public Health and Health Systems, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON N2L 3G1, Canada)

  • Christopher M. Perlman

    (School of Public Health and Health Systems, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON N2L 3G1, Canada)

  • Cesar Leos-Toro

    (School of Public Health and Health Systems, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON N2L 3G1, Canada)

  • Sharon I. Kirkpatrick

    (School of Public Health and Health Systems, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON N2L 3G1, Canada)

Abstract

Food insecurity is a persistent concern in high-income countries, and has been associated with poor mental health, particularly among females. We conducted a scoping review to characterize the state of the evidence on food insecurity and mental health among women in high-income countries. The research databases PubMed, EMBASE, and psycINFO were searched using keywords capturing food insecurity, mental health, and women. Thirty-nine articles (representing 31 unique studies/surveys) were identified. Three-quarters of the articles drew upon data from a version of the United States Department of Agriculture Household Food Security Survey Module. A range of mental health measures were used, most commonly to measure depression and depressive symptoms, but also anxiety and stress. Most research was cross-sectional and showed associations between depression and food insecurity; longitudinal analyses suggested bidirectional relationships (with food insecurity increasing the risk of depressive symptoms or diagnosis, or depression predicting food insecurity). Several articles focused on vulnerable subgroups, such as pregnant women and mothers, women at risk of homelessness, refugees, and those who had been exposed to violence or substance abuse. Overall, this review supports a link between food insecurity and mental health (and other factors, such as housing circumstances and exposure to violence) among women in high-income countries and underscores the need for comprehensive policies and programs that recognize complex links among public health challenges.

Suggested Citation

  • Merryn Maynard & Lesley Andrade & Sara Packull-McCormick & Christopher M. Perlman & Cesar Leos-Toro & Sharon I. Kirkpatrick, 2018. "Food Insecurity and Mental Health among Females in High-Income Countries," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(7), pages 1-36, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:15:y:2018:i:7:p:1424-:d:156602
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Coleman-Jensen, Alisha & Rabbitt, Matthew P. & Gregory, Christian A. & Singh, Anita, 2017. "Statistical Supplement to Household Food Security in the United States in 2016," Administrative Publications 292099, United States Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service.
    2. Coleman-Jensen, Alisha & Rabbitt, Matthew P. & Gregory, Christian A. & Singh, Anita, 2017. "Household Food Security in the United States in 2016," Economic Research Report 291968, United States Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service.
    3. Gregory, Christian A. & Coleman-Jensen, Alisha, 2017. "Food Insecurity, Chronic Disease, and Health Among Working-Age Adults," Economic Research Report 261813, United States Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service.
    4. Coleman-Jensen, Alisha & Rabbitt, Matthew P. & Gregory, Christian A. & Singh, Anita, 2018. "Household Food Security in the United States in 2017," Economic Research Report 291966, United States Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service.
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    Cited by:

    1. Pedro G. Guzman & James E. Lange & Amanda C. McClain, 2022. "The Association between Food Security Status and Psychological Distress and Loneliness among Full-Time Undergraduate Students at a Minority-Serving Institution," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(22), pages 1-13, November.
    2. Jeromey B. Temple, 2018. "The Association between Stressful Events and Food Insecurity: Cross-Sectional Evidence from Australia," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(11), pages 1-15, October.
    3. Elena Carrillo-Álvarez & Blanca Salinas-Roca & Lluís Costa-Tutusaus & Raimon Milà-Villarroel & Nithya Shankar Krishnan, 2021. "The Measurement of Food Insecurity in High-Income Countries: A Scoping Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(18), pages 1-57, September.
    4. Keumseok Koh & Michelle L. Kaiser & Glennon Sweeney & Karima Samadi & Ayaz Hyder, 2020. "Explaining Racial Inequality in Food Security in Columbus, Ohio: A Blinder–Oaxaca Decomposition Analysis," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(15), pages 1-15, July.
    5. Amber Bastian & Courtney Parks & Fiona H. McKay & Paige van der Pligt & Amy Yaroch & Sarah A. McNaughton & Rebecca Lindberg, 2022. "Development of a Comprehensive Household Food Security Tool for Families with Young Children and/or Pregnant Women in High Income Countries," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(17), pages 1-17, August.
    6. Haobin Fan & Xuanyi Nie & Sarah Wilson, 2023. "Mental Health, Material Possessions, and Social Capital During COVID-19: A Study of the United States Urban Working-Age Population," Applied Research in Quality of Life, Springer;International Society for Quality-of-Life Studies, vol. 18(1), pages 561-599, February.
    7. Flora Douglas & Fiona MacKenzie & Ourega-Zoé Ejebu & Stephen Whybrow & Ada L. Garcia & Lynda McKenzie & Anne Ludbrook & Elizabeth Dowler, 2018. "“ A Lot of People Are Struggling Privately. They Don’t Know Where to Go or They’re Not Sure of What to Do ”: Frontline Service Provider Perspectives of the Nature of Household Food Insecurity in Scotl," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(12), pages 1-22, December.
    8. Christina Mary Pollard & Sue Booth, 2019. "Addressing Food and Nutrition Security in Developed Countries," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(13), pages 1-5, July.
    9. Lauren A. Clay & Ashley D. Ross, 2020. "Factors Associated with Food Insecurity Following Hurricane Harvey in Texas," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(3), pages 1-17, January.
    10. Thalia M. Sparling & Megan Deeney & Bryan Cheng & Xuerui Han & Chiara Lier & Zhuozhi Lin & Claudia Offner & Marianne V. Santoso & Erin Pfeiffer & Jillian A. Emerson & Florence Mariamu Amadi & Khadija , 2022. "Systematic evidence and gap map of research linking food security and nutrition to mental health," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-11, December.
    11. Ivory H. Loh & Vanessa M. Oddo & Jennifer Otten, 2020. "Food Insecurity Is Associated with Depression among a Vulnerable Workforce: Early Care and Education Workers," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(1), pages 1-13, December.
    12. Santos, Mateus Rennó & Testa, Alexander & Weiss, Douglas B. & Jackson, Dylan B., 2022. "County jail incarceration rates and food hardship in the United States," Journal of Criminal Justice, Elsevier, vol. 83(C).
    13. Christina M Pollard & Sue Booth, 2019. "Food Insecurity and Hunger in Rich Countries—It Is Time for Action against Inequality," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(10), pages 1-13, May.
    14. Ourega-Zoé Ejebu & Stephen Whybrow & Lynda Mckenzie & Elizabeth Dowler & Ada L Garcia & Anne Ludbrook & Karen Louise Barton & Wendy Louise Wrieden & Flora Douglas, 2018. "What can Secondary Data Tell Us about Household Food Insecurity in a High-Income Country Context?," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(1), pages 1-17, December.

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