Food Insecurity and Cardiometabolic Disease Risk Factors in Mexican Women from Sinaloa

Abstract

Abstract Objectives To investigate the association between food security levels and nutritional indicators of cardiometabolic disease risk (anthropometric, clinical, and biochemical) in vulnerable women from Culiacan, Sinaloa. Methods This was a cross-sectional study. Participants were adult females from Sinaloa, Mexico. Questionnaires applied included socio-demographic characteristics, the Mexican Food Security Scale, a 24-h dietary recall, and personal and family medical history. Anthropometric indicators included BMI, waist circumference and body fat percentage. Clinical and biochemical indicators were blood pressure and postprandial capillary blood glucose, respectively. Associations between food security levels and risk factors were assessed using Mann-Whitney U test and t student test for continuous variables and chi-square test for categorical variables. Data is presented as mean ± SD or median (IQR). Results One hundred and seventy five women aged: 46.2 ± 15.9 y; and BMI: 29.8 ± 6.8 k/m2, participated in this study. Energy intake was 1586 kcal (1149, 2147 kcal). The prevalence of food security (FS) was 51%, whereas 49% of the population reported some level of food insecurity (FI); 26% mild insecurity, 12% moderate insecurity and 11% severe insecurity. There were no differences between groups (FS vs. FI) for age, BMI and energy intake. The prevalence of overweight and obesity was 76% and median body fat-mass was 37%; differences between groups on waist circumference showed a trend towards an increased risk in the FI group; FS: 91.3 ± 15.3 cm, FI: 95.6 ± 13.9 cm (P = 0.055). Postprandial capillary blood glucose was not significantly different between groups; FS: 120 (105, 139) mg/dL and FI: 125 (107, 145) mg/dL, however 56% of women in the FI group categorized under risk of postprandial hyperglycemia compared to 44% in the FS group (P = 0.168). Systolic and diastolic blood pressure were no different between groups, nevertheless when comparing classification of hypertension, there was a higher prevalence in the FI group than in the FS; 61 and 39%, respectively. Conclusions Women with FI tended to have higher risk of cardiometabolic disease. Funding Sources UAS.