Table 2.
Associations between food insecurity and mental health indicators.
| Outcome variables | Response format | Food insecurity | Univariable odds ratio/exp (Coef.) (95% CI) | Multivariable odds ratio/exp (Coef.) (95% CI)a |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Self-reported health (fair or poor) | No | Overall food insecurity | 1 Reference | 1 Reference |
| Yes | 1.82 (1.61 2.05)*** | 1.61 (1.11, 1.42)*** | ||
| Cut size/skip meals | 1.95 (1.74, 2.20)*** | 1.64 (1.43, 1.87)*** | ||
| Hungry but not eat | 2.19 (1.85, 2.61)*** | 1.93 (1.54, 2.41)*** | ||
| Not eat for whole day | 1.90 (1.65, 2.19)*** | 1.58 (1.36, 1.84)*** | ||
| Lost weight due to lack of food | 1.97 (1.75, 2.22)*** | 1.62 (1.43, 1.83)*** | ||
| Life satisfaction (low) | No | Overall food insecurity | 1 Reference | 1 Reference |
| Yes | 3.75 (3.20, 4.40)*** | 2.75 (2.35, 3.23)*** | ||
| Cut size/skip meals | 4.50 (3.83, 5.27)*** | 3.00 (2.51, 3.88)*** | ||
| Hungry but not eat | 4.77 (3.83, 5.94)*** | 3.36 (2.74, 4.12)*** | ||
| Not eat for whole day | 4.99 (4.14, 6.01)*** | 3.20 (2.61, 3.92)*** | ||
| Lost weight due to lack of food | 3.66 (3.10, 4.31)*** | 2.49 (2.10, 2.96)*** | ||
| Cognitive functioning | Scale | Overall food insecurity | 1 Reference | 1 Reference |
| 0.24 (0.15, 0.38)*** | 0.68 (0.49, 0.93)* | |||
| Cut size/skip meals | 0.16 (0.11, 0.23)*** | 0.54 (0.40, 0.74)*** | ||
| Hungry but not eat | 0.17 (0.08, 0.38)*** | 0.52 (0.31, 0.87)* | ||
| Not eat for whole day | 0.13 (0.09, 0.19)*** | 0.52 (0.37, 0.72)*** | ||
| Lost weight due to lack of food | 0.20 (0.14, 0.29)*** | 0.76 (0.54, 1.06) | ||
| Insomnia symptoms | No | Overall food insecurity | 1 Reference | 1 Reference |
| Yes | 2.04 (1.80, 2.32)*** | 1.64 (1.45, 1.85)*** | ||
| Cut size/skip meals | 2.08 (1.80, 2.41)*** | 1.51 (1.33, 1.74)*** | ||
| Hungry but not eat | 1.98 (1.66, 2.37)*** | 1.49 (1.27, 1.73)*** | ||
| Not eat for whole day | 2.21 (1.83, 2.65)*** | 1.66 (1.37, 2.00)*** | ||
| Lost weight due to lack of food | 2.60 (2.21, 3.06)*** | 1.98 (1.68, 2.35)*** | ||
| Depressive symptoms | No | Overall food insecurity | 1 Reference | 1 Reference |
| Yes | 2.68 (2.32, 3.08)*** | 2.21 (1.97, 2.48)*** | ||
| Cut size/skip meals | 3.04 (2.64, 3.50)*** | 2.31 (2.02, 2.64)*** | ||
| Hungry but not eat | 2.96 (2.39, 3.67)*** | 2.31 (1.96, 2.72)*** | ||
| Not eat for whole day | 3.08 (2.63, 3.61)*** | 2.29 (1.93, 2.71)*** | ||
| Lost weight due to lack of food | 3.16 (2.73, 3.66)*** | 2.43 (2.08, 2.83)*** | ||
| Major depressive disorder | No | Overall food insecurity | 1 Reference | 1 Reference |
| Yes | 2.90 (2.46, 3.41)*** | 2.37 (2.03, 2.77)*** | ||
| Cut size/skip meals | 4.04 (3.34, 4.90)*** | 2.70 (2.28, 3.20)*** | ||
| Hungry but not eat | 4.01 (3.15, 5.12)*** | 2.77 (2.29, 3.36)*** | ||
| Not eat for whole day | 4.29 (3.54, 5.20)*** | 2.94 (2.38, 3.62)*** | ||
| Lost weight due to lack of food | 4.09 (3.40, 4.92)*** | 2.70 (2.21, 3.29)*** | ||
| Alzheimer’s/dementia | No | Overall food insecurity | 1 Reference | 1 Reference |
| Yes | 2.10 (1.47, 3.01)*** | 1.75 (1.13, 2.69)* | ||
| Cut size/skip meals | 2.36 (1.54, 3.62)*** | 1.99 (1.21, 3.29)** | ||
| Hungry but not eat | 2.40 (1.55, 3.72)*** | 1.98 (1.20, 3.29)** | ||
| Not eat for whole day | 2.40 (1.47, 3.91)*** | 2.24 (1.28, 3.94)** | ||
| Lost weight due to lack of food | 2.41 (1.58, 3.67)*** | 1.89 (1.12, 3.19)* |
CI confidence interval.
***p < 0.001, **p < 0.01, *p < 0.05.
aAdjusted for all social and demographic factors, and health variables.