Associations between cross-sectional and long-term food insecurity with dietary quality among middle-aged and older United Study adults: A Cohort Study from the Health and Retirement Study

BACKGROUND: Food insecurity impedes healthy diet adherence, but few studies, particularly longitudinal studies, have examined these associations in middle-aged and older adults.

OBJECTIVES: Using the longitudinal Health and Retirement Study (HRS), we examined the associations between cross-sectional and long-term food insecurity and diet quality among U.S. middle-aged and older adults.

METHODS: Participants aged ≥50 at the time of initial food insecurity assessment and who completed the 2013 Health Care and Nutrition Study (HCNS) were included (cross-sectional food insecurity: n=6,783; long-term food insecurity: n=4,923). Food insecurity was assessed using the 6-item United States Department of Agriculture Food Security Survey Module (FSSM) in 2013. Long-term food insecurity was estimated by averaging two items from the 18-item Household FSSM assessed biennially (2002-2012). Dietary intake was assessed using a food frequency questionnaire in 2013 to create five diet quality indices: the plant-based diet index (PDI), healthful PDI (hPDI), unhealthful PDI (uPDI), Mediterranean diet index, and Mediterranean-Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension Intervention for Neurodegeneration Delay (MIND) diet index. Weighted multivariate linear regression models examined the associations between food insecurity and diet quality indices.

RESULTS: In cross-sectional analyses, very low food security was associated with higher scores on the uPDI [1.46 (95% CI: 0.45, 2.48)], and low food security was associated with lower Mediterranean diet index scores [-0.69 (-1.30, -0.09)]. In long-term analyses, very low food security was associated with lower scores on overall PDI [-1.15 (95% CI: -2.37, 0.08), P-trend=0.03], Mediterranean diet index [-1.33 (-2.24, -0.42), P-trend<0.01], and MIND diet index [-0.58 (-1.00, -0.17), P-trend<0.01], and higher scores on the uPDI [1.92 (0.15, 3.69), P-trend=0.01]. Associations with hPDI were not significant.

CONCLUSION: Among adults aged 50 years or older, food insecurity, especially long-term very low food security, was adversely associated with diet quality, highlighting the need for policies to reduce food insecurity and facilitate healthy eating habits.