Marginal Food Research Articles

High Prevalence of Food Insecurity and Related Disparities Among US College and University Students From 2015–2019

ObjectiveWe examined food insecurity prevalence among college students included as part of a large, ongoing, nationally representative survey and examined trends and associations with sociodemographic measures. MethodsData come from the Panel Study of Income Dynamics, a nationally representative longitudinal household panel survey, and include 2,538 college students from 2015–2019. Food security status was assessed using the US Department of Agriculture's 18-item Household Food Security Survey Module. ResultsFrom 2015 to 2019, 11% of college students experienced marginal food security, and 15% experienced food insecurity. Food insecurity was 12% in 2015 and 14% in 2017 and 2019. More Black and Hispanic students experienced food insecurity than White students (21% and 26%, vs 9%, respectively; P <0.001), as did first-generation than non-first-generation students (18% vs 10%; P = 0.01). Conclusions and ImplicationsCollege food insecurity is an urgent public health issue demanding greater response from colleges and universities and state and federal governments.

Human consumption of seaweed and freshwater aquatic plants in ancient Europe

During the Mesolithic in Europe, there is widespread evidence for an increase in exploitation of aquatic resources. In contrast, the subsequent Neolithic is characterised by the spread of farming, land ownership, and full sedentism, which lead to the perception of marine resources subsequently representing marginal or famine food or being abandoned altogether even at the furthermost coastal limits of Europe. Here, we examine biomarkers extracted from human dental calculus, using sequential thermal desorption- and pyrolysis-GCMS, to report direct evidence for widespread consumption of seaweed and submerged aquatic and freshwater plants across Europe. Notably, evidence of consumption of these resources extends through the Neolithic transition to farming and into the Early Middle Ages, suggesting that these resources, now rarely eaten in Europe, only became marginal much more recently. Understanding ancient foodstuffs is crucial to reconstructing the past, while a better knowledge of local, forgotten resources is likewise important today.

The British Columbia Farmers’ Market Nutrition Coupon Program Reduces Short-Term Household Food Insecurity Among Adults With Low Incomes: A Pragmatic Randomized Controlled Trial

BackgroundThe British Columbia Farmers’ Market Nutrition Coupon Program (BC FMNCP) provides households with low incomes with coupons to purchase healthy foods from farmers’ markets. ObjectiveTo examine the impact of the BC FMNCP on the short-term household food insecurity, malnutrition risk, mental well-being, sense of community (secondary outcomes), and subjective social status (exploratory outcome) of adults with low incomes post-intervention and 16 weeks post-intervention. DesignSecondary analyses from a pragmatic randomized controlled trial conducted in 2019 that collected data at baseline, post-intervention, and 16 weeks post-intervention. Participants/settingAdults ≥18 years with low incomes were randomized to an FMNCP group (n = 143) or a no-intervention control group (n = 142). InterventionParticipants in the FMNCP group received 16 coupon sheets valued at $21 Canadian dollars (CAD)/sheet over 10 to 15 weeks to purchase healthy foods from farmers’ markets and were eligible to participate in nutrition skill-building activities. Main outcome measuresOutcomes included short-term household food insecurity (modified version of Health Canada’s 18-item Household Food Security Survey Module), malnutrition risk (Malnutrition Universal Screening Tool), mental well-being (Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-Being Scale), sense of community (Brief Sense of Community Scale), and subjective social status (MacArthur Scale of Subjective Social Status community scale). Statistical analysisMixed-effects linear regression and multinomial logistic regression examined between-group differences in outcomes post-intervention and 16 weeks post-intervention. ResultsThe risk of marginal and severe short-term household food insecurity was lower among those in the FMNCP group compared with those in the control group (relative risk ratio [RRR] 0.15, P = 0.01 and RRR 0.16, P = 0.02) post-intervention, with sustained reductions in severe household food insecurity 16 weeks post-intervention (RRR 0.11, P = 0.01). No statistically significant differences were observed in malnutrition risk, mental well-being, sense of community, or subjective social status post-intervention or 16 weeks post-intervention. ConclusionsThe BC FMNCP reduced short-term household food insecurity but was not found to improve malnutrition risk or psychosocial well-being among adults with low incomes compared with a no-intervention control group.

Food Insecurity and Diet Quality Among Adults on Medicaid With and Without a Mental Illness Diagnosis.

Adults with mental illnesses are more likely to have low income and diet-related chronic diseases. This study examined associations of mental illness diagnosis status with food insecurity and diet quality and whether the relationship between food security status and diet quality differed by mental illness diagnosis status in adult Medicaid beneficiaries. This was a secondary cross-sectional analysis of baseline (2019-2020) data collected as part of the LiveWell study, a longitudinal study evaluating a Medicaid food and housing program. Participants were 846 adult Medicaid beneficiaries from an eastern Massachusetts health system. Food security was measured with the 10-item US Adult Food Security survey module (0= high food security, 1-2= marginal food security, 3-10= low/very low food security). Mental illness diagnoses included health record-documented anxiety, depression, or serious mental illness (eg, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder). Healthy Eating Index (HEI-2015) scores were calculated from 24-hour dietary recalls. Multivariable regression analyses adjusted for demographics, income, and survey date. Participants' mean (standard deviation) age was 43.1 (11.3) years, and 75% were female, 54% Hispanic, 33% non-Hispanic White, and 9% non-Hispanic Black. Fewer than half (43%) of participants reported high food security, with almost one third (32%) reporting low or very low food security. The 341 (40%) participants with one or more mental illness diagnosis had greater odds of low/very low food security (adjusted odds ratio [OR], 1.94; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.38-2.70) and had similar mean HEI-2015 scores (53.1 vs 56.0; P= 0.12) compared with participants with no mental illness diagnosis. Mean adjusted HEI-2015 scores did not significantly differ by high vs low/very low food security for those without a mental illness diagnosis (57.9 vs 54.9; P= 0.052) or those with a mental illness diagnosis (53.0 vs 52.9; P= 0.99). In a cohort of adults with Medicaid, those with mental illness diagnoses had higher odds of experiencing food insecurity. Overall, diet quality among adults in this sample was low but did not differ by mental illness diagnosis or food security status. These results highlight the importance of augmenting efforts to improve both food security and diet quality among all Medicaid participants.

Food Insecurity and Mental Distress Among WIC-Eligible Women in the United States: A Cross-Sectional Study

BackgroundWomen living in Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC)-eligible households may be pregnant or breastfeeding. Stress during pregnancy and breastfeeding may influence women’s mental health making them more vulnerable to higher rates of food insecurity (FI). ObjectiveDetermine whether or not FI is associated with moderate-to-severe mental distress among women living in WIC-eligible households, and whether or not the strength of the association differs among WIC participants compared with eligible nonparticipants with low income. DesignCross-sectional data from the 2011-2018 National Health Interview Survey were utilized. Participants/settingA total of 7,700 women living in WIC-eligible households with at least one child were analyzed. Main outcome measuresModerate-to-severe mental distress was measured using the validated K6 nonspecific psychological distress scale. FI was measured using the 10-item, US Adult Food Security Survey Module. Statistical analyses performedMultivariate logistic regression was used to examine the association between FI and mental distress. The conditional effects of WIC participation were examined by including interaction terms for FI and WIC participation as well as by stratifying the sample by WIC participation. ResultsAmong women in WIC-eligible households, FI was associated with moderate-to-severe mental distress in a dose-response fashion: compared with those who were food secure, the adjusted odds of moderate-to-severe mental distress were 1.8 times higher among those with marginal food security (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] 1.83, 95% CI 1.50 to 2.23), 2.1 times higher among those with low food security (AOR 2.14, 95% CI 1.76 to 2.60), and 3.7 times higher among those with very low food security (AOR 3.73, 95% CI 2.95 to 4.71). The interaction between FI and WIC participation was not significant, with similar associations between FI and mental distress among WIC participants and nonparticipants. ConclusionsAmong this nationally representative sample of women in WIC-eligible households, increasing severity of food insecurity was associated with poor mental health among WIC participants and nonparticipants. WIC participation was not observed to moderate the association between FI and mental distress. More research should consider including mental health screening at WIC clinic visits to enable early identification and referral for care.

Analysis of starch grains trapped in human dental calculus in Áspero, Peru during the Initial Formative Period (3000–1800 BCE)

The objective of this research is to identify the plants consumed and to determine their dietary importance in Áspero, an urban center on the coast of the Supe Valley, Peru. Consequently, starch grains trapped in the human dental calculus of nine individuals were recovered, while the results from one individual from the Sacred City of Caral, located in the interior of Supe Valley, are presented. Eight species of food plants were identified, among them C3 plants: sweet potato, squash, potato, chili pepper, algarrobo, manioc and bean and C4 plant: maize. Previous isotopic analysis indicates that C3 plants formed the foundation of the diet at Áspero and Caral. Our results indicate a high ubiquity of C3 plants like sweet potato (100%) and squash (90%) suggesting, with caution, that these taxa were an important C3 source in the menu. Maize, C4 plant, showed a similar ubiquity (100%) to sweet potato and squash, however, previous isotopic analysis indicate that maize was a marginal food in Áspero and Caral. These results support that the absence and abundance of starch grains cannot be employed to directly infer the frequency of intake of C3 and C4 plants within a small population, as suggested by previous studies.

Food insecurity and delayed or forgone health care among pregnant and postpartum women in the United States, 2019–2021

ObjectiveDespite the growing food insecurity crisis in the United States, limited evidence exists about the effects of food insecurity on the unmet health care needs of peripartum (pregnant and postpartum) women. The aim of this study was to examine the association between food insecurity and delayed or forgone health care among peripartum women in the United States from 2019 to 2021. MethodsWe conducted a pooled cross-sectional analysis using data from the 2019, 2020, and 2021 National Health Interview Surveys. Food security status was defined by type (high/marginal, low, and very low). Descriptive analysis and multivariable logistic regression, adjusted for sociodemographic and health-related characteristics, were conducted to estimate the overall and specific delayed or forgone health care (yes or no) between the different categories of food security. ResultsOf the 1525 peripartum women (weighted, N = 5,580,186), 11% of peripartum women in the United States experienced suboptimal food security in the 12 mo between 2019 and 2021, with 5% experiencing low and 5% experiencing very low food security. This included 6% (95% confidence interval [CI], 5–8%) who reported delaying filling a medical prescription, 6% (95% CI, 5–8%) who required counseling or therapy from a mental health professional but did not receive it, 6% (5–8%) who delayed counseling or therapy from a mental health professional, 8% (95% CI, 6–10%) who needed medical care but did not receive it, and 9% (95% CI, 7–10%) who delayed medical care. Peripartum women with low and very food security were more likely to delay or forego health care due to cost concerns than food-secure peripartum women. In the multivariable analyses adjusted for predisposing, enabling, and need-based factors, women with low and very low food security had higher risk for delayed or forgone health care than those with marginal or high food security. ConclusionThis study demonstrated a positive association between food insecurity and cost-related unmet health care needs among peripartum women. Future empirical studies are needed to assess the effects of peripartum health care interventions targeting food insecurity on reducing health care access disparities associated with costs and improving peripartum health outcomes.

Review: Composition and utilisation of feed by monogastric animals in the context of circular food production systems.

Food production has a major impact on environmental emissions, climate change and land-use. To reduce this impact, the circularity of future food production systems is expected to become increasingly important. In a circular food system, crop land is primarily used for plant-based food production, while low-opportunity cost feed materials (LCF), i.e. crop residues, co-products of the food industry, grass from marginal land and food waste form the basis of future, animal feeds. Animal diets thus contain much less cereals and soybean meal and include a higher proportion of diverse co-products, residues and novel human-inedible ingredients. These diets are characterised by a lower starch content, and a higher content of fibre, protein, fat, and phytate compared to present diets. In this review, possible consequences of the development towards a more circular food system for the type, volume and nutritional characteristics of feed materials and complete feeds are addressed and related research questions in the area of animal nutrition, physiology and metabolism are discussed. Additional attention is given to possible effects on intestinal health and gut functionality and to (bio)technological processing of LCF to improve their suitability for feeding farm animals, with a focus on the effects in pigs and poultry. It is concluded that an increased use of LCF may limit the use of presently used criteria for the efficiency of animal production and nutrient utilisation. Development of characteristics that reflect the efficacy and efficiency of the net contribution of animal production in a circular food system is required. Animal scientists can have an important role in the development of more circular food production systems by focussing on the optimal use of LCF in animal diets for the production of animal-source food, while minimising the use of human-edible food in animal feed.

Personal vehicle use and food security among US adults who are primary shoppers for households with children

In 2020, 2.9 million households with children were food secure. Previous studies have demonstrated that reduced car access may contribute to issues of food security. This study examines whether using a personal vehicle by primary shoppers of households with children is associated with food security. Data were from US adults who were primary shoppers for households with children (N = 997) in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2017–2018. Participants reported their means of transportation to complete grocery shopping, which was categorized as using a personal vehicle or another mode of transportation. Household food security was measured using the US Food Security Survey Module and categorized as full food security, marginal food security, low food security, or very low food security. Multinomial logistic regression models estimated the association between transportation mode and food security. Adjusted models included age, race/ethnicity, education, and poverty-to-income ratio variables. 3.8% (SE: 0.6%) of US adults who are primary shoppers for households with children did not use a personal vehicle for grocery shopping. US adults who used a personal vehicle for grocery shopping were less likely to report very low food security [22.1% (SE: 7.4%) vs. 8.5% (SE: 1.3%), aOR = 0.4, 95% CI 0.1–1.0]. There were no differences in marginal food security [18.3% (SE: 3.3%) vs. 13.1% (SE: 1.7%), aOR = 0.9, 95% CI 0.6–1.5] or low food security [30.6% (SE: 8.7%) vs. 16.1% (SE: 1.7%), aOR = 0.6, 95% CI 0.2–1.7]. Future research and interventions should address how transportation access may contribute to food security in families with children.

Food Security Status in Relation to Co-operative Enrolment Among University of Waterloo Undergraduate Students: A Cross-Sectional Analysis.

Purpose: Co-operative (co-op) education facilitates development of workplace competencies but may have unintended consequences for financial stability and food security. This study examined the association between co-op program enrolment and food security status among a sample of undergraduate students. Financial insufficiency and strategies to cope with it were also characterized.Methods: Cross-sectional data were collected from 167 co-op and 89 non-co-op students at the University of Waterloo from January to March 2019. Logistic regression assessed associations between co-op program enrolment and food insecurity.Results: Twenty-four percent of co-op and 39.3% of non-co-op students lived in moderately or severely food insecure households. Adjusting for confounders, the odds of living in moderately or severely food insecure households were lower among co-op students (adjusted odds ratio: 0.51, 95% CI: 0.27-0.97), though no association was observed when marginal food insecurity was included within the food insecure category. One-quarter (26.3%) of co-op students and 38.2% of non-co-op students reported financial insufficiency, which they tried to cope with by asking parents or friends for assistance or initiating paid work.Conclusions: Co-op program enrolment was weakly associated with lower odds of living in moderately or severely food insecure households, and food insecurity prevalence was high overall. Efforts are needed to alleviate food insecurity among postsecondary students.

Association of food insecurity with reduced cancer screening rates.

e18609 Background: Social determinants of health, including access to adequate food and nutrition, may influence many aspects of healthcare, including cancer screening. This study explored the associations between food insecurity and cancer screening. Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted using the National Health Interview Series from 2021 to capture contemporary events. Based on scaled questionnaires, food security was stratified into either food secure or insecure, and then subgrouped into high, marginal, or low security (i.e. most insecure). Associations were made with rates of having at least one screening test. Relationships between variables were evaluated using Chi-Square and Cochran-Armitage trend tests. Logistic regression models were used to find factors associated with cancer screening. Results: Patients included in analyses included: 19,916 for colon, 15,293 for cervical, and 8,589 for prostate cancer screening. Those with food insecurity had significantly lower rates of cancer screening than those with food security across all 3 cancer screens, including for colon (51.3% vs. 61.8% p &lt; 0.0001), cervical (78.1% vs. 85.2% p &lt; 0.0001), and prostate (36.0% vs. 51.5%, p &lt; 0.0001). This was similar when comparing low, marginal, and high food security, respectively, for colonoscopies (50.1% vs. 52.6% vs. 61.8%, p &lt; 0.0001), cervical cancer screening (78% vs. 78.2% vs. 85.1%; p &lt; 0.0001), and prostate-specific antigen testing (31.2% vs. 41.2% vs. 51.5%; p &lt; 0.0001). Other social determinants were analyzed, including insurance type (public vs. private), age, and race. Patients with public health insurance had lower screening rates across all three cancers compared to those with private insurance (p &lt; 0.0001). Lower food security was linked with younger age (p &lt; 0.0001), and Black patients were disproportionately affected by food insecurity compared to other races (p &lt; 0.001). Adjusted for covariates, low food security, minority racial groups, and public insurance were associated with lower odds of cancer screening. Conclusions: Individuals with self-reported food insecurity were found to have lower cancer screening rates than those who were food secure. Further analysis of demographic and clinical information revealed associations between low food security status and public health insurance, younger age, and Black race. These data suggested that measures can be taken to address food insecurity in these populations that appear to be most vulnerable to lacking appropriate cancer screening. [Table: see text]

College students with disabilities report higher rates of food insecurity

BackgroundIncreased risk of food insecurity has been reported among both college students and persons with disabilities; however, food insecurity among college students with disabilities has not been explored. ObjectiveThis article aims to characterize the prevalence of food insecurity among college students with and without disabilities at a northeastern university. MethodsCross-sectional data were collected between 2018 and 2020at a public northeastern university as part of the ongoing College Health and Nutrition Assessment Survey. An online survey collected self-reported data, including food security and disability status. Chi-square and logistic regression analyses examined the differences in food insecurity among college students with and without disabilities. ResultsThe sample (n = 880) was 61.6% female, predominately white (94.5%), and had a mean age of 19 ± 1.2 years. One out of eight participants (13.3%) reported a disability. Low or very low food security (13.3% and 5.5% respectively) was reported in one out of five participants, while 81.4% reported high or marginal food security (67.6% and 13.8%, respectively). Participants with a disability were more than twice as likely to report food insecurity than those without a disability (35.9% vs. 16.0%, p < 0.001). Among participants with a disability, 12.8% reported very low food security and 23.1% reported low food security, compared to 4.3% and 11.7%, respectively, among those students without disabilities (p < 0.001). ConclusionsCollege students with disabilities experienced disproportionally higher rates of food insecurity than students without disabilities. Further research in diverse institutions can help to better understand and develop targeted supports for this vulnerable segment of the college population.

Role of Local Sago Food in Realizing Food Security of Sago Farmers in Lasolo District North Konawe Regency in the Covid-19 Pandemic

This study seeks to determine the food security status of sago farmers in Lasolo District, North Konawe Regency, during the Covid-19 pandemic, as well as the function of Sago in achieving food security for sago farmers in Lasolo District, North Konawe Regency, during the Covid-19 pandemic. From August to September 2021, this research was conducted in Lasolo District, North Konawe Regency. This study's population consisted of 20 sago producers. Using the census technique, the researchers sampled the entire population of sago producers in the Lasolo District. The household food security survey instrument developed by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) was utilized for this study's analysis. The results indicated that 50% of sago producers in the Lasolo District had a marginal food security status, 30% had a low food security status, and 30% were deficient. At the same time, there were no food-secure households—high-calorie foods. Upon categorization into two categories, each sago farmer falls at the 50 percentile for food security and food insecurity. The previous year, sago producers in the Lasolo District consumed Sago as a staple diet. In the past week, 80 percent of Sago local foods were finished with a frequency of three to four days. This demonstrates that Sago plays a crucial role in ensuring the food security of sago producers in the Lasolo District, particularly those who are food insecure.

Something to eat: experiences of food insecurity on the farm.

The health of farm owners and farmworkers has significant impacts on farm businesses, farming families, and local rural communities where agriculture is an important driver of social and economic activity. Rural residents and farmworkers have higher rates of food insecurity, but little is known about food insecurity among farm owners and the collective experiences of farm owners and farmworkers. Researchers and public health practitioners have stressed the need for policies that target the health and well-being of farm owners and farmworkers while remaining sensitive to the nature of life on the farm, yet farm owner and farmworker lived experiences have been understudied, especially in relation to one another. In-depth qualitative interviews were conducted with 13 farm owners and 18 farmworkers in Oregon. Modified grounded theory was used to analyze interview data. Data were coded using a three-stage process to identify salient core characteristics of food insecurity. Farm owner and farmworker meanings and interpretations of their food insecurity were often contradicted by evaluated food security scores using validated quantitative measures. According to such measures, 17 experienced high food security, 3 had marginal food security, and 11 had low food security, but narrative experiences suggested higher rates. Narrative experiences were categorized by core characteristics of food insecurity, including seasonal food shortages, resource stretching, working extended hours most days of the week, limited use of food assistance, and the tendency to downplay hardship. These unique factors have important implications for developing responsive policies and programs to support the health and well-being of farm livelihoods whose work enables health and well-being among consumers. Future studies to test the relationships between the core characteristics of food insecurity identified in this study and farm owner and farmworker meanings and interpretations of food insecurity, hunger, and nourishment are warranted.

ADDRESSING FOOD INSECURITY AMONG MALAYSIAN UNIVERSITY STUDENTS DURING COVID-19: IMPLICATIONS FOR ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE

University students are among the population that is most prone to experiencing food insecurity due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Students experiencing food insecurity have a higher likelihood of performing poorly at university. However, only a few studies have been conducted in Malaysia to determine the association between food insecurity, and academic performance among university students during COVID-19. As a result, the purpose of this study was to investigate the aforementioned association between variables. This cross-sectional study was conducted among 300 undergraduate students from Malaysia's selected public universities in each zone. This self-administered online survey is divided into three sections: demographic and socioeconomic factors; food security status via the USDA (food security survey module, FSSM); and students' current academic performance (based on ICGPA). SPSS version 25 was used to analyse the data. The result indicates the majority of the respondents were classified to have a marginal food security level (38.0%), followed by high food security level (31.0%), low food security level (21.7%), and the remaining (9.30%) were classified to have a very low food security level. The majority of respondents (45.3%) had a CGPA of 3.50 to 4.00. The study showed a statistically significant association between food insecurity and current CGPA among Malaysian university students (1, n=300) = 7.739 and p=0.021. The association between food insecurity and academic performance may be accounted for by a range of causes, including hunger, despair, and ill health. Selecting the extent to which each possible relationship between food insecurity and low academic performance contributes can aid health-related authorities in determining the most effective areas for intervention.

Prevalence and associations between food insecurity and overweight/obesity among native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander adolescents.

This study estimates the prevalence of, and associations between, family food insecurity and overweight/obesity among Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (NHPI) adolescents and explores socio-demographic factors which might have a moderation effect on the association. Cross-sectional study using 2014 NHPI-National Health Interview Survey data reported by a parent or guardian. Family-level food security was assessed by the US Department of Agriculture 10-item questionnaire. BMI for age and sex ≥ 85th and 95th percentiles defined overweight and obesity, respectively, according to US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention criteria. The USA, including all 50 states and the District of Columbia. 383 NHPI adolescents aged 12-17 in the USA. A third (33·5 %) of NHPI adolescents aged 12-17 were overweight (19·1 %) or obese (14·4 %); 8·1 % had low food security; and 8·5 % had very low food security. Mean family food security score was 1·06, which corresponds to marginal food security. We found no association between family food insecurity and adolescent overweight/obesity or between any other covariates and overweight/obesity, except for family Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) participation. Odds of being overweight/obese were 77 % lower for adolescents in families participating in SNAP (OR: 0·23, 95 % CI: 0·08, 0·64, P = 0·007). The association between SNAP participation and lower odds of overweight/obesity was particularly pronounced for adolescent girls in food-insecure families. The association between SNAP participation and lower odds of overweight/obesity suggests potential benefit of research to determine whether interventions to increase SNAP enrollment would improve NHPI adolescents' health outcomes.

Burden of dental caries in individuals experiencing food insecurity: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Food insecurity affects approximately 2.37 billion people worldwide. Individuals experiencing food insecurity are more likely to exhibit poor health-related endpoints. Dental caries, a highly prevalent noncommunicable disease, is modulated by an interplay between biological, behavioral, and environmental factors. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to assess whether individuals experiencing food insecurity were more likely to exhibit dental caries than individuals facing food security. The Web of Science, PubMed, Scopus, Embase, Ovid, CINAHL, LILACS, and APA PsycINFO databases were checked from inception to November 2021. Grey literature and Google Scholar were also examined. An updated search was conducted in August 2022. Observational studies were included if they evaluated the association between dental caries and food insecurity status. Data extraction was performed by two reviewers. Random-effects meta-analyses were conducted using R language. In total, 514 references were retrieved from databases, of which 14 articles were included in qualitative synthesis and 7 were merged into meta-analysis. The results of an inverse-variance meta-analysis (OR = 1.62; 95%CI, 1.01-2.60) and a meta-analysis of binary data (OR = 1.66; 95%CI, 1.36-2.02) demonstrated that food-insecure individuals were more likely to exhibit dental caries than food-secure individuals. Inverse-variance meta-analyses appraising multiple strata of food security also showed that individuals experiencing marginal food security (OR = 1.48; 95%CI, 1.28-1.72), individuals experiencing low food security (OR = 1.26; 95%CI, 1.01-1.57), and those experiencing very low food security (OR = 1.33; 95%CI, 1.04-1.71) were more likely to exhibit dental caries than individuals experiencing full food security. Dental caries is associated with food insecurity. Individuals living with food insecurity are more likely to exhibit dental caries than those who have food security. PROSPERO registration number CRD42021268582.

Climate variability induced household food insecurity coping strategy in Gambella Zuria Woreda, Southwestern, Ethiopia

It is evident that the household food insecurity pattern in Ethiopia is seasonal and is linked to rainfall conditions and it worsens significantly after bad rainy seasons. This paper examines the determinants of food insecurity and coping strategies applied by farming households in times of food shortages caused by climate variability and extremes. Data were collected from purposively selected key informants and randomly selected 145 sample households. The USAID Household Food Insecurity Access Scale (HFIAS) tool was used to collect data from respondents. Temperature and rainfall data (1981–2016) were also obtained from the National Metrological Agency (NMA) of Ethiopia. Descriptive statistics such as mean, standard deviation, percentage, coefficient of variations, and Binary logit model were used to analyze the data. The results revealed that climate extreme events, particularly floods and drought, have been affecting crop production. About 33.1% and 66.9% of sample households were food secure and insecure respectively. The model result reveals that household food security is significantly determined by the TLU of household, farmland size, age, education level, dependency ratio, and household size. Households practice six consumption strategies to cope with climate variability induced food shortages. These are eating formerly marginal foods, borrowing food or money, relying on wild food, sending household members to eat elsewhere, reducing food portions and frequency of mealtimes, and skipping meals. It is recommended that since households heavily depend on maladaptation coping mechanisms to ensure food security, the regional government should develop and implement context specific adaptation strategies.

Estimating household food budget shares and Engel’s food coefficient in a lean food supply month in Ghana: a micro data analysis

Using the 2017 Ghana Living Standards Survey Round Seven data, this study used the Working-Leser linear model on demographic and household specific variables to determine the lean food season month of July household food budget share, Engel food coefficient, marginal food budget share and food expenditure elasticity. The results demonstrate that a 10% increase in monthly household income decreases the share of the monthly household food budget by -0.0117 of a percentage point on average, and ceteris paribus, and the evidence shows that the underlying household July month Engel food curve is characterized by an inverse link between household monthly food budget share and the household monthly total income. The findings statistically established that food is a necessary commodity and the food demand elasticity assessment showed that a 10% increase in household spending would increase household monthly food needs by an average of 9.8%, and ceteris paribus.

Abstract P656: Household Food Insecurity is Adversely Associated With Ideal Cardiovascular Health in US Adults: An Updated Analysis Using the American Heart Association’s New Life’s Essential 8 Measure

Introduction: Food insecurity, a condition of limited household food availability due to insufficient resources, is a critical social determinant of health. Food insecurity increases the risks for poor physical, behavioral, and mental health outcomes. Cardiovascular disease remains the leading cause of mortality in the US, and adults with food insecurity may face a high burden of cardiovascular disease risk. This study aimed to examine the associations between household food security status and ideal cardiovascular health (CVH), defined using the American Heart Association (AHA)’s new Life’s Essential 8 measure. We hypothesized that greater severity of food insecurity will be associated with lower overall cardiovascular health. Methods: Data came from 14,619 adults ≥20 years from the 2013-2018 National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys. Food security was measured using the 18-item Household Food Security Survey Module, and categorized into households with high, marginal, low, and very low food security. Per AHA criteria, ideal CVH was calculated as scores (0-100) indicating the attainment of standards for diet, physical activity, smoking, sleep, body mass index, blood lipids, blood glucose, and blood pressure. Overall CVH was calculated as the unweighted average score across the eight metrics and overall average CVH score ≥80 was considered high CVH. We used linear and logistic regression models to examine the associations between household food security and ideal CVH outcomes, adjusting for sociodemographic characteristics. Complex survey weights were applied to all analyses. Results: In the sample, 72.7% of adults had high food security, 10.0% had marginal food security, 10.4% had low food security, and 6.8% had very low food security. The mean overall CVH score was 68.8 (SE 0.3), ranging from 70.2 (SE 0.3) for high food security to 62.7 (SE 1.8) for very low food security. After multivariate adjustment, marginal food security (β= -1.5, 95% CI -2.9, -0.1), low food security (β= -3.0, 95% CI -4.4, -1.7), and very low food security (β= -4.7, 95% CI -6.4, -3.0) were each associated with lower overall CVH scores when compared to high food security ( P-trend&lt;0.0001 ). These associations were driven by lower mean scores for diet, tobacco, sleep, BMI, and blood glucose with greater severity of food insecurity ( P-trends&lt;0.05 ). Furthermore, low food security (OR 0.57, 95% CI 0.45, 0.74) and very low food security (OR 0.52, 95% CI 0.37, 0.73) were both associated with lower odds of high CVH. Results remained significant in sensitivity analyses restricting the sample to adults with family incomes ≤300% of the federal poverty level. Discussion: Household food insecurity was adversely associated with cardiovascular health metrics in a dose-response fashion. Public health interventions and policies should consider a holistic approach to health promotion among populations with food insecurity.