Effects Of Food Insecurity Research Articles

FRAILTY AND DEPRESSIVE SYMPTOMS MEDIATE THE IMPACTS OF FOOD INSECURITY ON SLEEP DEFICIENCY AMONG OLDER FILIPINOS

Abstract Although research has shown that food insecurity may lead to sleep problems due to mental illness, it remains unclear whether physical health also mediates this relationship in addition to poor mental health. We investigated whether frailty and depressive symptoms mediated the association of food insecurity with sleep deficiency (i.e., inadequate and poor sleep) among community-dwelling older adults. We analyzed the baseline data of the Longitudinal Study of Ageing and Health in the Philippines, a study with national representative sample of adults aged 60 years or older (Nf5,187). Sleep deficiency was conceptualized as self-reported sleeping less than 6 hours, complaining about trouble with falling asleep and staying asleep, and/or having non-restorative sleep. Food insecurity was defined as being hungry and not having enough food in the past three months in the household. Frailty was operationalized using modified definitions under Fried’s criteria. Depressive symptoms were assessed using the Center for Epidemiological Studies-Depression Scale. Covariates included socio-demographics (age,sex,education,wealth,insurance,living arrangement,urbanity), health (pain,chronic diseases), and lifestyles (smoking,drinking). Mediation analysis was performed using PROCESS macro. The results from bootstrapping showed that the indirect effects from food insecurity through frailty (b=.024,SE=.009,95%CI=.009-.043) and depressive symptoms (b =.118,SE=.022,95% CI=.078-.166) onto sleep deficiency were significant, but the direct effect from food insecurity to sleep deficiency was not (b=.243,SE=.134,95% CI=-.018-.505). The results suggested that the effects of food insecurity on sleep deficiency were fully mediated through frailty and depressive symptoms among community-dwelling older Filipinos. Preventing frailty and depression may help improve sleep health among individuals being food insecure.

Determinants and consequences of food insecurity in families having children under the age of 2 years.

Background: Today, food insecurity is recognized as an important public health problem that can have detrimental effects on families. Aim: The aim of this study was to assess the determinants and consequences of food insecurity in families having children under the age of 2 years. Method: In this cross-sectional study, 307 mothers and their children under the age of 2 years were selected by stratified random sampling. Demographic and socioeconomic data were collected by completing questionnaires through face-to-face interview. Household food insecurity (HFI) status was determined using the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) household food security questionnaire. Results: Based on the results, 67.4% of families were high food secure. Low and very low food security was 25.7% and 6.9%, respectively. House size (Beta = -0.019, 95% CI: -0.029, -0.009), father's job (Beta = -4.758, 95% CI:-6.777, -2.738), father education (Beta = -0.370, 95% CI: -0.717, -0.023), and economic status (Beta = -0.628, 95% CI: -0.809, -0.448) were significantly related to the USDA total food insecurity score (p < 0.05). Regression analysis showed that children birth weight, father's body mass index (BMI), and mother's waist circumference had a significant positive correlation with weight for age (Z-score) of children. Children's birth weight, father's BMI, and HFI status had significant and positive correlation with weight for length (Z-score). Moreover, the significant association between children's birth height, mother's BMI, and mother's waist circumference with length for age (Z-score) were observed (p < 0.05). Conclusion: We found the father's job was the most effective factor in food insecurity and economic status of the family was in the second place. Also, HFI had a relationship with weight status of children under the age of 2 years.

Abstract 13552: Associations Between Food Security and Social Determinants of Health With Dietary Intakes- A Pilot Study

Introduction: Food insecurity remains prevalent in the United States and has disproportionately affected those living in poverty or experiencing financial hardships. Social determinants of health (SODH) influence food security; yet, little is known on which aspects of the built environment influence the most food insecurity and dietary intake, especially among minority groups living in urban food deserts. We conducted a pilot study to examine the association between individuals’ dietary intake, food insecurity and other SODH measures among individuals residing in an urban food desert. Methods: We recruited 45 adults, residing in the targeted study area. Following consent, participants completed surveys to measure sociodemographic and health status, dietary intake, social determinants of health (food insecurity, perceived neighborhood safety, healthy food environment, perceived discrimination). All demographic and survey data were examined graphically and summarized descriptively. Analysis of variance was used to examine associations between dietary data and SODH measures. Results: Overall, ~78% of the participants were African American, female (80%), 53 years old on average. More than 50% lived in a household with a yearly income below $12,000. Education level and neighborhood safety were the major SODH influencing dietary intake. Majority of participants were food insecure and 54% reported not feeling safe in their neighborhood. The effect of food insecurity was significant on the average intake of processed meat (F = 4.72, p = .036), fast food (F= 4.384, p= .042) and whole grains (F= 4.573, p= .038). The effect of education level on average intake of processed meat was significant, F = 3.59, p=.02. Lastly, neighborhood safety significantly influenced the average intake of processed meat (F= 3.593, p= 0.022). Conclusions: Findings from this pilot study confirm the importance of examining neighborhood contextual factors such as SODH in relation to food insecurity and diet. A better understanding of the relationships between dietary intake and SODH have important implications for clinical practice, behavioral interventions and policies aiming to decrease diet-related health disparities.

Food insecurity as a risk factor for obesity: A review.

Obesity is considered a 21st-century epidemic and it is a metabolic risk factor for Non-Communicable Diseases such as cardiovascular diseases, type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome, hypertension, some types of cancer, among others. Thus, its prevention and treatment are important public health concerns. Obesity within the context of food insecurity adds an additional layer of complexity to the current obesity epidemic. Efficient policies and interventions ought to take into consideration the effects of food insecurity on the risks of developing obesity among food insecure households. This review aims to analyze the recent available evidence around the obesity – food insecurity paradox. Most of the literature has consistently shown that there is a significant association between food insecurity and obesity, specifically in women of high-income countries. However, mechanisms explaining the paradox are still lacking. Even though researchers have tried to analyze the issue using different individual and societal variables, these studies have failed to explain the mediatory mechanisms of the food insecurity–obesity relationship since the proposed mechanisms usually lack strength or are purely theoretical. The research focus should shift from cross-sectional models to other research designs that allow the exploration of pathways and mechanisms underlying the food insecurity and obesity relationship, such as longitudinal studies, which will hopefully lead to consecutive research testing the effectiveness of different approaches and scale up such interventions into diverse contexts among those affected by obesity and the different degrees of food insecurity.

The effect of food insecurity and stress on delay discounting across families: a COVID-19 natural experiment

BackgroundDelay Discounting is the extent to which one prioritizes smaller immediate rewards over larger, delayed rewards. The ability to prospect into the future is associated with better health decision-making, which suggests that delay discounting is an important intervention target for the prevention and treatment of chronic disease. Delay discounting decreases throughout development and stressful experiences, particularly those that accompany poverty, may influence this developmental trajectory. The current study leveraged the COVID-19 pandemic and resulting economic downturn as a natural experiment to understand how changes in food insecurity and psychological stress may associated with changes in delay discounting among parents, adolescents, and children.MethodsA stratified cohort of families (N = 76 dyads), established prior to the initial pandemic lockdowns, were asked to complete a follow-up survey in the summer of 2020, during reopening. Thirty-seven (49%) families had an older adolescent (aged 15 – 18 years) in the study and 39 (51%) had an elementary aged child (aged 7 – 12 years) in the follow-up study. Both data collection points included measurements of economic position, psychological stress, food security status, and delay discounting.ResultsThe results showed that pandemic food insecurity was associated with greater stress among parents (β = 2.22, t(65.48) = 2.81, p = 0.007). Parents, Adolescents, and children significantly differed in their response to psychological stress during the pandemic (β = -0.03, t(102.45) = -2.58, p = 0.011), which was driven by a trend for children to show greater delay discounting associated with an increase in psychological stress during the pandemic (β = -0.01, p = 0.071), while adolescents and parents showed no change.ConclusionsThese findings add to the evidence that food insecurity is uniquely stressful among parents with no effects on delay discounting. Despite this, we found no evidence that food insecurity was stressful for child or adolescents. A trend in our data suggested that childhood, as compared with adolescence, may be an important developmental period for the association between stress and delay discounting. Future research should continue the longitudinal investigation of childhood stress and the developmental trajectory of delay discounting to ascertain how these effects may persist in adulthood.

"You Feel Out of Place": A PhotoVoice Study of the Impact of Food Insecurity on College Students.

Purpose:There is a high prevalence of food insecurity on college campuses in the United States. Quantitative research has shown that experiencing food insecurity during college is associated with adverse academic, health, and social-emotional outcomes. Research is needed to better understand how food insecurity impacts the lived experiences of students. This study aims to understand students' experiences of food insecurity, with a particular focus on their coping strategies and the effects of food insecurity on their health and academic achievement.Methods:An adaptation of the PhotoVoice method was used to understand how food insecurity affected 10 college students at a large, Midwestern university. Students submitted photos around their experiences of food insecurity and completed an in-depth interview about their photos. The interviews were analyzed for thematic content using an iterative, inductive approach.Results:Four themes emerged from the results: (1) economic coping mechanisms, (2) behavioral coping mechanisms; (3) alternate ways to acquire food; and (4) psychosocial and academic consequences.Conclusion:These findings provide context to the negative impacts of food insecurity on students' academic and health outcomes, and add to the growing body of qualitative research that is needed to inform practices and policies to address food insecurity on college campuses.

Towards Sustainable Development Goals: Study on the Consequences of Food Insecurity Among Global Population - Worldwide, 2022.

What is already known about this topic?The global population is predicted to reach 8 billion by the end of 2022, which can delay the progress and exacerbate the challenges of achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), especially the goal of “Zero Hunger.”What is added by this report?During the next 15 years, it is predicted that the world’s population will increase from 8 billion to 9 billion people. Although food insecurity is anticipated to decrease over the next three decades for most of the world, food insecurity is anticipated to increase in Africa. Accelerating population growth is projected to lead to larger percentages of infants with low birth weight and of children under 5 years old with stunted growth.What are the implications for public health practice?Rapid population growth will make it more difficult to achieve the SDGs for ending hunger and ensuring good health and well-being. It is important to develop foresight and adopt proactive planning that is guided by careful demographic analysis.

War, Conflict, and Food Insecurity

This article reviews the literature at the intersection of war, armed conflict, and food security, focusing on intergroup violent conflicts such as interstate conflict, civil war, insurgencies, state violence toward civilians, riots, and nonstate conflict. We briefly discuss recent trends in conflict and food security and note the channels through which conflict may impact food security in developing countries. Next, we review the quantitative literature, studying the pathways between conflict and food security and their effects on child health and household coping strategies, displacement, changes in factors of production, market and travel restrictions, and insurgent predation. The effect of food insecurity on conflict, related to limited access to land and shocks to commodity prices, is discussed. We briefly survey the effects of aid and assistance programs and then discuss the connection between climate change, conflict, and food security. The review concludes by identifying topics in this field that are ripe for future research.

Household Food Insecurity Negatively Affects Multiple Facets of Well-Being for Those Living in Slums and Informal Settlements

ObjectivesHousehold food insecurity has been associated with deleterious consequences on the physical health of vulnerable populations. However, few studies have examined its effect on the individual facets of well-being in slums and informal settlements. Therefore, this study examined (1) the effect of food insecurity on the intellectual, spiritual, and psychological well-being and (2) the effect of food insecurity on life satisfaction among the urban poor. MethodsData for this study were collected from three slums in Ghana (N = 1,033). The key independent variable, food insecurity was assessed using household food insecurity access scale (HFIAS); we then assessed intellectual (using a scale of 7 items), spiritual (Spiritual Well-Being Index), and psychological (WHO-5 Well-Being Index) well-being and life satisfaction (satisfaction with life scale) for the outcome variables. Many covariates were assessed, including, housing insecurity (Multilevel Multidimensional Housing Insecurity Scale), neighborhood health (neighborhood safe scale), poverty (less than $5.50 a day), stress (perceived stress scale), and socio-demography. Following descriptive and bivariate analyses, we built multivariable models for each of the outcome measures by including all covariates significant at p < 0.05. We assessed the effect of food insecurity on all four outcome measures using Poisson regression. ResultsIn the bivariate models, food insecurity decreased the rate ratios for intellectual (IRR = .99, P < .001), spiritual (IRR = .99, p < .001), and psychological (IRR = .96, p < .001) well-being, as well as life satisfaction (IRR = 0.98, p < .001). In the multivariable models, food insecurity decreased the rate ratios of intellectual, spiritual, and psychological well-being by .99, .99, and .98 factors, respectively. Poverty and stress were associated with decreased rate ratios on all four outcome measures. However, neighborhood health and psychological well-being increased the rate ratios of life satisfaction. ConclusionsThese data show that food insecurity is a significant predictor of poor intellectual, spiritual, and psychological well-being among slum dwellers. Funding SourcesThis work was supported by a Pilot Project Grant at the University of Texas at Arlington and the Keough School of Global Affairs at the University of Notre Dame.

Food Insecurity Screening of Hospitalized Patients: A Descriptive Analysis.

The purpose of this study is to describe an advocacy effort to implement a food insecurity (FI) screening during hospital admission and describe characteristics of hospitalized patients with household FI. This is a descriptive study after the implementation of FI screening at a quaternary-care children's hospital in the Southeastern United States between August 2020 and April 2021. The Hunger Vital Sign, a 2-question screening tool for FI, was added to the intake questionnaire performed on inpatient admissions. A positive screen triggered a social work consult to connect patients with resources. Chart review and statistical analyses were performed on patients with household FI. There were 7751 hospital admissions during the study period, of which 4777 (61.6%) had an FI screen completed. Among those with a completed screen, 233 patients (4.9%) were positive for household FI. Patients with household FI were more likely to be Black (P <.001) and have Medicaid (P <.001). Social work documented care specific to FI in 125 of the 233 (56%) FI patients, of which 39 (31%) were not enrolled in the Women, Infants, and Children Program/Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. This initiative highlights hospitalization as an opportunity to screen for FI using a multidisciplinary approach. Our findings underscore the importance of identifying FI with the goal of reducing FI and mitigating the adverse effects of FI on child health outcomes.

Introduction to senior hunger special issue

AbstractOver 5 million persons aged 60 and older are food insecure in the United States. Previous research has uncovered information about the causes and consequences of food insecurity, but, especially in comparison to households with children, research on food insecurity among seniors has been sparse. In response, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Service (USDA, FNS) funded a series of studies in this research area. In this introduction, we describe how food insecurity is measured and trends in food insecurity among seniors followed by an overview of the eight funded projects.

Databases for Gastrointestinal Clinical and Public Health Research: Have Database, Will Research

Databases for Gastrointestinal Clinical and Public Health Research: Have Database, Will Research

PERCEIVED EFFECTS OF FOOD PRICE INFLATION ON RURAL HOUSEHOLDS’ FOOD SECURITY SITUATION IN ENUGU STATE, NIGERIA

Objectives: This study examined the perceived effects of food price inflation on the food security status of rural farming households’ in Enugu state, Nigeria. Methods: The 18-item USDA household food security survey module was used in determining the food security status of the respondents. Mean scores were used to analyze the perceived causes and effects of food price inflation, respectively. Results: Majority of the households were food insecure, and the cost of production of major crops and prices of major stable foods had been on the increase for the 3 years (2016, 2015, and 2014) reviewed. The major cause of food price inflation was climate change while its major effects on household food insecurity were reduction in caloric intake, among others. Eating foods that are less preferred were the most frequently used coping strategy in cushioning the effects of food insecurity. Conclusion: The findings reveal how food price inflation affects rural farming households’ food security situation and thus assist the government and policy-makers to design and implement appropriate policy interventions.

Abstract TMP47: Food Insecurity And Long Term Mortality Rates After Stroke In The US

Background: Around 50 million people in the US have inadequate access to nutritious food. Food insecurity is linked with chronic conditions and worse overall health. Research has shown that living in a lower SES neighborhood is linked to increased post-stroke mortality, but little is known about the effect of food insecurity on mortality. Methods: This study used the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) dataset 1999/2000-2013/2014 with linked mortality files through 2015. Participants included those ≥ 20 years with a complete survey, physical examination, and mortality information. Stroke was self-reported. Food security was characterized as food secure (full, marginal) or food insecure (low, very low). We evaluated the relationship between food insecurity and all-cause, cardiovascular (CV) and stroke mortality in the general and stroke population using Cox proportional hazards regression models, adjusting for sociodemographic factors and comorbidities. Results: From 1999 to 2014, 40,777 people participated in NHANES and 1,530 reported a history of stroke. Prevalence of food insecurity was 11.6% in the general population and 15.5% in the stroke subset. Among the general population, there were 5394 deaths due to all-causes, 1152 CV deaths, and 216 stroke deaths. Among the stroke population, there were 650 deaths due to all-causes, 176 CV deaths, and 41 stroke deaths. In the general population, food insecure individuals had higher adjusted all-cause mortality (aHR 1.15, CI 1.01-1.32) and a trend towards higher CV (aHR 1.14, 0.85-1.52) and stroke mortality (aHR 1.23, 0.65-2.34). In participants with prior stroke, food insecurity had no impact on all-cause, CV or stroke mortality. Discussion: Although prior studies have demonstrated that living in a low SES neighborhood results in worse post-stroke mortality, this data suggests the effect is not directly linked with food insecurity. A potential explanation is that individuals may receive greater access to food resources after a stroke. There is also the possibility that the low frequency of deaths among stroke survivors limited the ability to detect an effect. Further study is needed to explore the underpinnings of worse post-stroke outcomes in lower SES neighborhoods.

COVID-19 expands food insecurity disparities among rural, high-risk obstetrics patients

Objective: To compare rural and urban food insecurity in a high-risk obstetrics population prior to and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: Utilizing convenience sampling of high-risk obstetrics patients, validated survey questions assessed self-reported food insecurity from March - October 2019 (pre-COVID-19) and March - October 2020 (COVID-19). Chi-squared analysis compared food insecurity between these two periods and among patients living in rural vs. urban counties.Results: A total of 1089 (pre-COVID-19) and 1246 (COVID-19) screenings were completed. Compared to 2019, the prevalence of food insecurity in 2020 was significantly higher from March-June only (7.8% pre-COVID-19 vs. 11.4 % COVID-19, p=0.04). Despite pre-COVID-19 similarity, rural patients reported significantly higher food insecurity prevalence during COVID-19 than urban counterparts (12.9% rural vs. 8.2% urban, p&amp;lt;0.01). Conclusions: The COVID-19 pandemic was associated with a disproportionate effect on food insecurity among rural patients with high-risk pregnancies. Rural health systems and agencies should explore proactive screening and intervention efforts to mitigate the adverse, downstream health effects of food insecurity.

Depression Mediates the Causal Effect of Food Insecurity Transition on Cognitive Function

Decreasing estrogen levels have been hypothesized to be associated with increased risk of dementia, yet the current literature reveals conflicting results. This study aimed to determine whether a longer reproductive period, as an indicator of longer exposure to endogenous estrogens, is associated with risk of transitioning to MCI and dementia. Women 65 and over (N=1507) from the Rush Memory and Aging Project met eligibility for the current analysis. The average length of reproductive period (menopause age minus menarche age) was 35 years (range=16-68 years), and 64% had natural menopause. Multistate survival modeling (MSM) was used to estimate the influence of reproductive period on risk of transitioning through cognitive states including mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and clinically diagnosed dementia, as well as death. Multinomial regression models estimated total and cognitively unimpaired life expectancies based on the transition probabilities estimated by the MSM. Results suggest that women with more reproductive years were less likely to transition from no cognitive impairment (NCI) to MCI, and were more likely to return to NCI from MCI. Analyses also suggest two additional years free of cognitive impairment for women with 45 vs 25 years of reproduction, though reproduction period did not significantly impact overall life expectancy. This study suggests that the number of years of reproductive duration is not associated with the transition to dementia, but is possibly associated with delayed cognitive decline, reduced risk of MCI, increased likelihood of returning to NCI from MCI, and increased lifespan free of cognitive impairment.

Effect of food insecurity on the cognitive problems among elderly in India

BackgroundFood Insecurity (FI) is a crucial social determinant of health, independent of other socioeconomic factors, as inadequate food resources create a threat to physical and mental health especially among older person. The present study explores the associations between FI and cognitive ability among the aged population in India.MethodsTo measure the cognitive functioning we have used two proxies, word recall and computational problem. Descriptive analysis and multivariable logistic regression was used to understand the prevalence of word recall and computational problem by food security and some selected sociodemographic parameters. All the results were reported at 95% confidence interval.ResultsWe have used the data from the first wave of longitudinal ageing study of India (LASI), with a sample of 31,464 older persons 60 years and above. The study identified that 17 and 5% of the older population in India experiencing computational and word recall problem, respectively. It was found that respondents from food secure households were 14% less likely to have word recall problems [AOR:0.86, 95% CI:0.31–0.98], and 55% likely to have computational problems [AOR:0.45, 95% CI:0.29–0.70]. We also found poor cognitive functioning among those experiencing disability, severe ADL, and IADL. Further, factors such as age, education, marital status, working status, health related factors were the major contributors to the cognitive functioning in older adults.ConclusionThis study suggest that food insecurity is associated with a lower level of cognition among the elderly in India, which highlight the need of food policy and interventional strategies to address food insecurity, especially among the individuals belonging to lower wealth quintiles. Furthermore, increasing the coverage of food distribution may also help to decrease the burden of disease for the at most risk population. Also, there is a need for specific programs and policies that improve the availability of nutritious food among elderly.

Abstract 13810: Diabetes versus Cardiovascular Mortality in the Context of Food Insecurity Among United States Adults

Food insecurity has become an important global concern with close associations with cardiovascular disease. However, how food insecurity affects individuals with long-term diabetes is currently unknown. In this study, we assessed the hypothesis that positive diabetes history modifies the effect of food insecurity on cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality. We analyzed data on adults (≥ 20 years) from the 1999-2010 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, with mortality data obtained through 2015. The causes of death for adults (N=4037) were defined using the International Classification of Disease coding (ICD-10). Complex Samples Cox regression was used to assess if diabetes status modified the relationship between food insecurity and CVD-mortality. During a 11.1-year follow-up, among adults with diabetes, 184 individuals died (15%). The hazard ratio (HR) for CVD-mortality among adults with food insecurity compared with adults without food insecurity, with adjustment for age and gender only, was 1.66; 95% confidence interval [CI: 1.26, 2.20]. The adjusted HR was elevated, 2.13 (CI 1.30-3.48, p &lt; 0.05), among adults with diabetes and food insecurity but close to 1.0 (1.57 CI 0.97-2.54, p = 0.07) among adults with only food insecurity after the results were controlled for medical risk factors (chronic kidney disease (CKD) and obesity) and demographic risk factors (age, gender, ethnicity, education). In conclusion, individuals who are food-insecure and have diabetes have a higher probability of death from cardiovascular disease in long-term follow-up than those individuals without diabetes. Risk scoring and CVD prevention strategies should include screening and surveillance for food insecurity status. Comprehensive and interdisciplinary approaches to reducing cardiovascular disease-related disparities and health risks should be implemented through equity research.

Patient Perspectives: Valuable Food Insecurity Interventions.

Food insecurity (FI), defined as "limited or uncertain availability of nutritionally adequate and safe foods, or limited or uncertain ability to acquire acceptable foods in socially acceptable ways," affects over 12% of US households. Embarrassment persists for patients with FI, and due to the potential consequences of FI, including increased utilization of the health care system, it is important to find causes and potential interventions for FI. The purpose of this project was to better understand FI from the patient perspective, including contributing factors, perceived health effects, and helpful interventions. Interviews (N=21) were conducted with suburban community residency clinic patients who screened positive for FI in the last 12 months. Six open-ended questions and a ranking question examined contributors to FI, effects of FI, perceptions of clinic intervention helpfulness, and ideas for novel interventions. Patients identified lack of income (85.7%) as the primary issue they faced. Secondary identified issues were lack of transportation (38.1%), too much debt (33.3%), and food assistance programs not providing for all needs (33.3%). FI effects on patients' health included difficulty adhering to specialized diets and the need to modify eating patterns due to lack of food. Surprisingly, 28.6% perceived no FI related-health effects. Patients felt that the most valuable clinic intervention was provision of urgent need food boxes, followed by FI screening and referrals to community food resources. Frequent FI screening is in itself useful to patients. Screening paired with community food resource referrals and urgent-need food boxes are the most helpful interventions according to patients.

Food insecurity and sleep quality among older adults: Findings from a population-based study in Ghana

ObjectiveSleep architecture in older age is an important public health concern. However, little is known about the effect of food insecurity on sleep quality among older people. We provide the first representative study of the association between food insecurity and poor sleep quality (PSQ) in older adults in the sub-Saharan African context. MethodsData were drawn from the 2016–2017 AgeHeaPsyWel-HeaSeeB Study in Ghana. Past 30-day food insecurity was assessed with two items on the frequency of hunger and breakfast-skipping due to lack of food and resources. Participants reported night- and day-time sleep problems and sleep duration. Multiple OLS regressions were used to evaluate the hypothesized associations. ResultsData on 1201 adults aged ≥ 50 years (mean = 63 [SD = 12]; women = 63%) were analyzed. In the full OLS adjusted model, moderate (β = .144; p < .001) and severe (β = .184; p < .001) levels of food insecurity were positively and significantly associated with PSQ. Also, older adults reporting moderate (β = -.153; p < .001) and severe (β = -.128; p < .001) food insecurity hadfewer sleep hours than those who were food-secure. Women and those aged ≥ 65 were at higher risks of PSQ in the context food insecurity. ConclusionsAddressing food insecurity may be an effective policy and public health intervention for improving sleep quality and overall well-being in older age.