Dataset Information

Impact of food insecurity with hunger on mental distress among community-dwelling older adults.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Hunger frequently and persistently occur in older populations in low-income countries especially in sub-Sahara Africa. The aim of this study was to examine the associations between food insecurity with hunger and psychological distress among older people in Ghana.

Methods

A total of 1200 individuals aged ?50 years were recruited during 2016/2017 Ageing, Health, Psychological Well-being and Health-seeking Behavior Study. Associations between psychological distress (assessed with the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale) and hunger (assessed with a 30-day subjective scale) were evaluated using linear regression modeling.

Results

The overall prevalence of food insecurity was 36% with approximately 27% and 9% respectively for moderate and severe levels of hunger whilst the mean score of psychological distress was 9.5 (±4.10). Persons experiencing moderate hunger (? = 0.71, SE = 0.160, p < 0.001) and severe hunger (? = 1.81, SE = 0.280, p < 0.001) significantly reported increased psychological distress outcome compared to those without hunger. These associations varied between women (? = 1.59, SE = 0.359 p < 0.001) and men (? = 2.33, SE = 0.474, p < 0.001) as well as 50-64 age group (? = 1.48, SE = 0.368, p < 0.005) and 65+ age group (? = 2.51, SE = 0.467, p < 0.001).

Conclusions

The results suggest that experiencing hunger is associated with psychological distress and the effect may be aggravated with advancing age and in men. These findings may inform social policy initiatives and health programmatic interventions for older people exposed to food insecurity.

SUBMITTER: Gyasi RM

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7108730 | biostudies-literature | 2020

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Publications

Impact of food insecurity with hunger on mental distress among community-dwelling older adults.

Gyasi Razak M RM Obeng Bernard B Yeboah Joseph Y JY

PloS one 20200331 3

<h4>Background</h4>Hunger frequently and persistently occur in older populations in low-income countries especially in sub-Sahara Africa. The aim of this study was to examine the associations between food insecurity with hunger and psychological distress among older people in Ghana.<h4>Methods</h4>A total of 1200 individuals aged ≥50 years were recruited during 2016/2017 Ageing, Health, Psychological Well-being and Health-seeking Behavior Study. Associations between psychological distress (asses ...[more]

PMID: 32231372

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Project description:ImportanceFood insecurity has a known association with prevalent impaired cognition. However, it is unknown whether food insecurity has a longitudinal association with cognitive decline among older adults.ObjectiveTo determine whether food insecurity is associated with a faster decline in cognitive function among community-dwelling older adults.Design, setting, and participantsThis retrospective cohort study used data from a nationally representative sample of Medicare beneficiaries 65 years and older recruited for the National Health and Aging Trends Study (NHATS). Community-dwelling NHATS participants were followed up for a maximum of 7 years (mean [SD] follow-up duration, 5.4 [1.1] years). Data were collected from January 1, 2012, to December 31, 2020, and analyzed from December 23, 2021, to December 6, 2022.ExposuresSelf-reported food insecurity assessed from 2012 to 2019.Main outcomes and measuresPrimary outcomes were immediate memory, delayed memory, and executive function collected from 2013 to 2020. Immediate and delayed recall were assessed by a 10-item word-list memory task (range, 0-10, with higher scores indicating more words recalled). Executive function was measured by the clock drawing test (range, 0-5, with higher scores indicating more accurate depiction of a clock). Each year's cognitive functions were linked to the prior year's food insecurity data. Linear mixed-effects models with random slopes and intercepts were used to examine the association between food insecurity and cognitive decline. Analytic weights in each year were applied to represent community-dwelling Medicare beneficiaries 65 years and older in 2011.ResultsOf 3037 participants, a weighted 57.8% (raw count, 1345) were younger than 75 years, 56.2% (raw count, 1777) were women, and most (84.9% [raw count, 2268]) were White. Over 7 years, 417 (weighted proportion, 12.1%) experienced food insecurity at least once. Food insecurity was associated with a faster decline in executive function in a fully adjusted model: the mean difference of annual change in executive function score between people exposed to and not exposed to food insecurity was -0.04 (95% CI, -0.09 to -0.003) points. However, food insecurity was not associated with changes in immediate and delayed memory (0.01 [95% CI, -0.05 to 0.08] and -0.01 [95% CI, -0.08 to 0.06], respectively).Conclusions and relevanceAmong community-dwelling older adults, food insecurity was prevalent and associated with a decline in executive function. Interventions and policies aiming to increase healthy food access or reduce food insecurity should be assessed for their impact on older adults' cognitive outcome.

Project description:Abstract Background and objectives It is well documented that college student populations are vulnerable to food insecurity and other adverse environmental conditions. Additionally, exposure to environmental adversity can have deleterious, long-term effects on physical and mental health. This study applies evolutionary life history theory to examine the relationship between environmental adversity, mental distress and diet among resource insecure university students during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methodology Structured and semi-structured surveys were used to assess perceptions of environmental adversity (including mortality risk, food insecurity and resource availability; and changes in these factors over the course of COVID-19), mental distress, diet and use of campus support services. Participants included 51 college students recruited through an economic crisis center located at a large public university in southern California. Results Most students were experiencing mental distress and food insecurity, and food insecurity and other components of adversity increased during COVID-19. Food insecurity was significantly associated with both perceived extrinsic mortality risk and mental distress, whereas mental distress was significantly associated with reduced dietary quality and caloric intake. Use of two or more campus support resources and/or living with family or rent free disrupted the associations of food insecurity with extrinsic mortality risk and mental distress. Conclusion and Implication This study contributes to a growing body of applied evolutionary frameworks concerned with the health and wellbeing of economically vulnerable populations. It also provides novel insights informed by life history theory into interventions and recommendations for improving support services for financially insecure college students. This study investigates how COVID-19 impacted environmental adversity, psychological distress, and diet for a population of economically vulnerable students. Mental distress and perceptions of mortality risk were associated with food insecurity, while mental distress negatively impacted diet. We identify factors that may help vulnerable students.

Dataset Information

Impact of food insecurity with hunger on mental distress among community-dwelling older adults.

Background

Methods

Results

Conclusions

Publications

Impact of food insecurity with hunger on mental distress among community-dwelling older adults.

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