Document Type
Presentation
Publication Date
Fall 10-5-2026
Abstract
Food insecurity is an important social determinant of health that has been consistently associated with poorer mental health outcomes. Prior U.S. NHANES research found that food insecurity is significantly associated with depression among adults, with the worst being among individuals experiencing very low food security. The relationship between food insecurity and mental health may also vary according to sociodemographic factors, including sex/gender, race/ethnicity, education, marital status, and socioeconomic characteristics. Food insecurity may affect mental health through mechanisms including financial stress, uncertainty surrounding basic needs, and sleep disturbance. This study used NHANES 2021-2023 to examine the association between household insecurity and depressive symptoms among U.S. adults.
Recommended Citation
Biragbara, Dornu; McCoy, Amanda; and Chauhaun-James, Jaimini, "A Retrospective Analysis Using the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) to Investigate Food Insecurity on PHQ9 Score" (2026). DO Research Day. 19.
https://digitalcommons.lmunet.edu/doresearch/19
