Varying Levels of Food Insecurity Associated with Clinically Relevant Depressive Symptoms in U.S. Adults Aged 60 Years and Over: Results from the 2005–2014 National Health and Nutrition Survey

Abstract

Food insecurity refers to restricted or uncertain access to and ineffective utilization of nutritious and safe foods. Although food insecurity is linked to poorer physical health consequences among older adults, national estimates are not well known on food insecurity and depression. Using the 2005–2014 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, this study examines the associations between varying food insecurity levels and clinically relevant depressive symptoms (defined by PHQ-9 ≥ 10) among adults ≥60 years old (n = 7969). Rates of clinically relevant depressive symptoms in marginal, low, and very low food security were 12.3, 16.3, and 25.2%, respectively. Marginal, low, and very low food security were significantly associated with clinically relevant depressive symptoms: odds ratio (OR) = 1.12 (95% confidence intervals [CI] 1.07–1.18), OR = 1.07 (95% CI 1.03–1.12), and OR = 1.24 (95% CI 1.16–1.32), respectively. Given the intersection of food insecurity and depression, geriatric health professionals should work to improve health and nutrition programs for older adults at risk for or experiencing both public health concerns.

Keywords:

• Depression
• food insecurity
• NHANES
• nutrition
• older adults

Additional information

Funding

JMB received grant support from the National Institute of Mental Health [T32 MH073553-11, PI: Stephen Bartels, PhD]. AJT is under the support of the NIH BD2K T32 [T32LM012204; PI: Christopher Amos, PhD]. JAB is currently receiving support from the National Institute on Aging [K23-AG051681-01; PI: John Batsis, MD]. Research reported in this publication was also supported by The Dartmouth Clinical and Translational Science Institute, under award number UL1TR001086 from the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). In addition, this work was supported by the Dartmouth Health Promotion and Disease Prevention Research Center (Cooperative Agreement Number U48DP005018) from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. For the remaining authors, none were declared.