Food Insecurity Is Associated With Poorer Mental Health and Sleep Outcomes in Young Adults

• Type of Material: Article
• Authors: Jason M. Nagata, University of California San Francisco; Kartika Palar, University of California San Francisco; Holly Gooding, Emory University; Andrea K. Garber, University of California San Francisco; Henry J. Whittle, Queen Mary University London; Kirsten Bibbins-Domingo, University of California San Francisco; Sheri D. Weiser, University of California San Francisco
• Language: English
• Date: 2019-12-01
• Publisher: ELSEVIER SCIENCE INC
• Publication Version: Author Accepted Manuscript (After Peer Review)
• Copyright Statement: 2019
• License: Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 4.0 International
• Final Published Version (URL): http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jadohealth.2019.08.010
• Title of Journal or Parent Work: JOURNAL OF ADOLESCENT HEALTH
• Volume: 65
• Issue: 6
• Start Page: 805
• End Page: 811
• Grant/Funding Information: Funded by grant P01-HD31921 from the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, with cooperative funding from 23 other federal agencies and foundations.; Jason Nagata is a Fellow in the Pediatric Scientist Development Program (K12HD000850–33). This project was supported by grants from the University of California Global Food Initiative Fellowship, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), the American Pediatric Society (APS), and the Norman Schlossberger Research Fund from the University of California, San Francisco. Andrea Garber was supported by NIH R01HD082166. Kartika Palar is supported by NIH K01 DK 107335. Holly Gooding is supported by NIH K23 HL122361. Sheri Weiser is supported by NIH K24AI134326.
• Keywords: Science & Technology; Public, Environmental & Occupational Health; Young adult; DEPRESSION; BEHAVIORS; Depression; Anxiety; Mental health; Pediatrics; SYMPTOMS; Psychology; Social Sciences; UNIVERSITY; SECURITY; Suicide; Food security; USA; SOCIAL SUPPORT; Sleep; Psychology, Developmental; EATING-DISORDER; PREVALENCE; Life Sciences & Biomedicine
• Research Categories: Health Sciences, Public Health; Psychology, General; Psychology, Developmental

Abstract

Purpose: The aim of the study was to determine the association between food insecurity, mental health, and sleep outcomes among young adults. Young adulthood represents an important developmental period when educational and economic transitions may increase the risk for food insecurity; however, little is known about associations between food insecurity and health outcomes in this period. Methods: Cross-sectional nationally representative data of U.S. young adults aged 24–32 years from Wave IV (2008) of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health were analyzed in 2018. Multiple logistic regression analysis was conducted with food insecurity as the independent variable and self-reported mental health (depression, anxiety, and suicidality) and sleep (trouble falling and staying asleep) outcomes as the dependent variables. Results: Of the 14,786 young adults in the sample, 11% were food insecure. Food-insecure young adults had greater odds of mental health problems including a depression diagnosis (1.67, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.39–2.01), anxiety or panic disorder diagnosis (1.47, 95% CI 1.16–1.87), and suicidal ideation in the past 12 months (2.76, 95% CI 2.14–3.55). Food insecurity was also associated with poorer sleep outcomes including trouble falling (adjusted odds ratio 1.78, 95% CI 1.52–2.08) and staying (adjusted odds ratio 1.67, 95% CI 1.42–1.97) asleep. Conclusions: Food insecurity is associated with poorer mental and sleep health in young adulthood. Health care providers should screen for food insecurity in young adults and provide referrals when appropriate. Future research should test interventions to simultaneously combat food insecurity and mental health problems in young adulthood.