Abstract
The aim of this study was to identify the dietary intake correlates of food insecurity (FI) in UK adults. We recruited groups of low-income participants who were classified as food insecure (n 196) or food secure (n 198). Participants completed up to five 24 h dietary recalls. There was no difference in total energy intake by FI status (βFI = -0·06, 95 % CI - 0·25, 0·13). Food insecure participants consumed a less diverse diet, as evidenced by fewer distinct foods per meal (βFI = -0·27, 95 % CI - 0·47, -0·07), and had more variable time gaps between meals (βFI = 0·21, 95 % CI 0·01, 0·41). These associations corresponded closely to those found in a recent US study using similar measures, suggesting that the dietary intake signature of FI generalises across populations. The findings suggest that the consequences of FI for weight gain and health are not due to increased energy intake. We suggest that there may be important health and metabolic effects of temporal irregularity in dietary intake, which appears to be an important component of FI.
Highlights
Food insecurity (FI) is defined as the ‘the inability to acquire or consume an adequate quality or sufficient quantity of food in socially acceptable ways, or the uncertainty that one will be able to do so’ [1]
Some of these health consequences may be due to different patterns of dietary intake in people experiencing FI compared with people who are not [9,10,11]
In a sample of 394 UK adults who provided a mode of four 24h dietary recalls each, food secure and food insecure individuals did not differ in total energy intake
Summary
Food insecurity (FI) is defined as the ‘the inability to acquire or consume an adequate quality or sufficient quantity of food in socially acceptable ways, or the uncertainty that one will be able to do so’ [1]. FI is associated with poorer health, higher mortality, and, in the case of women, a greater risk of overweight or obesity, even after adjusting for socioeconomic position [2,3,4,5,6,7,8]. Some of these health consequences may be due to different patterns of dietary intake in people experiencing FI compared with people who are not [9,10,11]. Datasets are required where the same individuals complete FI questionnaires, and separately provide detailed dietary recall information
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