Association between Food Insecurity, Mental Health, and Intentions to Leave the US Army in a Cross-Sectional Sample of US Soldiers

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ABSTRACT

Background

Previous research has demonstrated that certain groups in the United States are at a greater risk for food insecurity. However, food insecurity has not been sufficiently characterized in active duty military populations.

Objectives

The primary objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of marginal food insecurity at a large US Army installation. The secondary objective was to determine how marginal food insecurity may be associated with intentions to leave the US Army after the current service period (“intentions to leave”).

Methods

A cross-sectional, online survey was administered by the US Army Public Health Center at an Army installation in 2019 (n = 5677). The main predictor was the 2-item food insecurity screener (Hunger Vital Signs), and the main outcome was a 5-point Likert question, “How likely are you to leave the army after your current enlistment/service period?” that was dichotomized for this analysis. Multiple logistic regression was used to assess the association between marginal food insecurity and intentions to leave. Mental health covariates were analyzed as a potential mediator.

Results

The sample was primarily male (83%), age <25 y (49%), and White (56%). One-third of respondents were classified as marginally food insecure using the Hunger Vital Signs, and 52% had intentions to leave. There was no significant association between marginal food insecurity and intentions to leave in the composite multivariable model, but mediation analyses revealed that food insecurity was significantly and independently associated with anxiety, depression, and suicidal ideation, which was in turn associated with intentions to leave.

Conclusions

The association between marginal food insecurity and mental health showed that addressing food insecurity could improve mental health and subsequently reduce intentions to leave. Solutions to reduce military food hardship include expanding Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program eligibility requirements, improving food resources communication, and expanding healthy food choices on-post.

Related collections

Most cited references 31

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Development and validity of a 2-item screen to identify families at risk for food insecurity.

Bradford Casey, K. M. Black, Kyle Hager … (2010)

To develop a brief screen to identify families at risk for food insecurity (FI) and to evaluate the sensitivity, specificity, and convergent validity of the screen. Caregivers of children (age: birth through 3 years) from 7 urban medical centers completed the US Department of Agriculture 18-item Household Food Security Survey (HFSS), reports of child health, hospitalizations in their lifetime, and developmental risk. Children were weighed and measured. An FI screen was developed on the basis of affirmative HFSS responses among food-insecure families. Sensitivity and specificity were evaluated. Convergent validity (the correspondence between the FI screen and theoretically related variables) was assessed with logistic regression, adjusted for covariates including study site; the caregivers' race/ethnicity, US-born versus immigrant status, marital status, education, and employment; history of breastfeeding; child's gender; and the child's low birth weight status. The sample included 30,098 families, 23% of which were food insecure. HFSS questions 1 and 2 were most frequently endorsed among food-insecure families (92.5% and 81.9%, respectively). An affirmative response to either question 1 or 2 had a sensitivity of 97% and specificity of 83% and was associated with increased risk of reported poor/fair child health (adjusted odds ratio [aOR]: 1.56; P < .001), hospitalizations in their lifetime (aOR: 1.17; P < .001), and developmental risk (aOR: 1.60; P < .001). A 2-item FI screen was sensitive, specific, and valid among low-income families with young children. The FI screen rapidly identifies households at risk for FI, enabling providers to target services that ameliorate the health and developmental consequences associated with FI.

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Food insecurity is associated with diabetes mellitus: results from the National Health Examination and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 1999-2002.

Margot Kushel, Alka M. Kanaya, Andrew B. Bindman … (2007)

Food insecurity refers to limited or uncertain access to food resulting from inadequate financial resources. There is a clear association between food insecurity and obesity among women, but little is known about the relationship between food insecurity and type 2 diabetes. To evaluate whether there is an independent association between food insecurity and diabetes. Cross-sectional analysis of the nationally representative, population-based National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (1999-2002 waves). Four thousand four hundred twenty-three adults > 20 years of age with household incomes or = 126 mg/dl. Diabetes prevalence in the food secure, mildly food insecure, and severely food insecure categories was 11.7%, 10.0%, and 16.1%. After adjusting for sociodemographic factors and physical activity level, participants with severe food insecurity were more likely to have diabetes than those without food insecurity (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] 2.1, 95% CI 1.1-4.0, p = .02). This association persisted after further adjusting for body mass index (AOR 2.2, 95% CI 1.2-3.9, p = .01). Food insecurity may act as a risk factor for diabetes. Among adults with food insecurity, increased consumption of inexpensive food alternatives, which are often calorically dense and nutritionally poor, may play a role in this relationship. Future work should address how primary care clinicians can most effectively assist patients with food insecurity to make healthy dietary changes.