Abstract
South Africa represents one of the most rapidly aging countries in sub-Saharan Africa with a rising burden of age-related psychological morbidities. Despite having one of the highest human development scores in the region, the country faces serious poverty and food insecurity related challenges. Previous studies have shown a positive association between food insecurity and poor mental health among the adult population, however there is no systematic evidence on this association among the elderly population in an African setting. In the present study, we aimed to address this research gap by analyzing cross-sectional data (n = 931) on the over-50 population (>50 years) from the SAGE (Study on global AGEing and adult health) Well-Being of Older People Study (WOPS) of the World Health Organization, conducted between 2010 and 2013. The outcome variable was perceived depression and the explanatory variables included several sociodemographic factors including self-reported food insecurity. The independent associations between the outcome and explanatory variables were measured using multivariable regression analysis. Results showed that close to a quarter of the population (22.6%, 95% CI = 21.4, 24.7) reported having depression in the last 12 months, with the percentage being markedly higher among women (71.4%). In the multivariable regression analysis, self-reported food insecurity was found to be the strongest predictor of depression among both sexes. For instance, severe food insecurity increased the odds of depression by 4.805 [3.325, 7.911] times among men and by 4.115 [2.030, 8.341] times among women. Based on the present findings, it is suggested that national food security programs focus on promoting food security among the elderly population in an effort to improve their mental health status. Nonetheless, the data were cross-sectional and the associations can’t imply causality.
Highlights
In general terms, food insecurity refers to having inconsistent access to adequate food for maintaining a healthy life because of financial and other barriers (US Department of Agriculture) [1].Food insecurity is global concern and affects millions of children and adults in developed and developing countries alike [2,3,4,5]
Less than a quarter of the population (22.6, 95% CI = 21.4, 24.7) reported having episodes of depression during the last 12 months
Our findings suggest an age and gendered pattern in the prevalence of depression
Summary
Food insecurity is global concern and affects millions of children and adults in developed and developing countries alike [2,3,4,5]. An estimated 800 million individuals lack access to sufficient food, and >2 billion experience key micronutrient deficiencies, with the majority of these people being located in the low-income countries [6]. Chronic food insecurity is associated with a plethora of physical and psychological issues including anemia, diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular diseases, obesity, and other nutritional disorders [7,8,9,10,11]. The overall outcome of chronic food insecurity can affect physical health, and compromise emotional health, quality of life and the overall well-being of individuals [14,15]
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
