Food Insecure Individuals Are More Prone to Health Problems

Abstract

Because of its intimate relationship with an insufficient dietary intake of nutrients essential for a healthy and active life, food insecurity (FI) is associated with a wide range of health issues. In addition, FI also affects psychological well‐being. This study investigated differences in self‐reported health between food secure (fs) and food insecure(fi) individuals in 42 countries through data from the 2014 Gallup World Poll (GWP) with the Food Insecurity Experience Scale (FIES). One question regarding the presence of health problems was selected from the GWP questionnaire to assess respondents' health status. Results showed a prevalence of 61% FI, while 27.2% of interviewees reported health problems that prevented them from engaging in normal activities for a person of their age. In a multivariate logistic model, when compared to fs individuals, those classified as fi showed significantly higher odds (OR) of reporting that they had health problems (OR=1.72, 95% CI: 1.58, 1.87). The same trend was observed for women when compared to men (OR=1.31, 95% CI: 1.23, 1.39), for single individuals when compared to those in a couple (OR=1.17, 95% CI: 1.10, 1.25), for those unable to afford adequate shelter throughout the year (OR = 1.55, 95% CI: 1.45, 1.67) and for those unsatisfied with the healthcare service (OR=1.09, 95% CI: 1.02, 1.17). The statistical model incorporated all variables mentioned above in addition to income, education, household size, age, country and area of residence. These results reveal increased vulnerability to health problems among specific groups and provide evidence of the importance of FS for physical well‐being.