Food insufficiency and physical and mental health in a longitudinal survey of welfare recipients.
Food insufficiency is a significant problem in the United States, and poor African American women with children are at especially high risk. An inadequate household food supply can potentially affect the well-being of household members, but it is difficult to distinguish the effects of food insufficiency from risk factors for poor health that are also common among the food insufficient, such as poverty. We examined food insufficiency and physical and mental health among African American and white women (n = 676) who were welfare recipients in 1997. Controlling for common risk factors, women who reported food insufficiency in both 1997 and 1998 were more likely to report fair or poor health at the later date. Food insufficiency in 1998 was significantly associated with meeting the diagnostic screening criteria for recent major depression. Food insufficiency at both times and in 1998 only was related to women's sense of mastery. These findings add to growing evidence that household food insufficiency is associated with poor physical and mental health.
NIMH Research Center on Poverty, Risk, and Mental Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1106, USA. ksiefert@umich.edu
Kristine
K
Siefert
Colleen M
CM
Heflin
Mary E
ME
Corcoran
David R
DR
Williams
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American / Q000523:psychology; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D005191:Family Characteristics; D005260:Female; D005523:Food Supply / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D006815:Hunger / Q000502:physiology*; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008824:Michigan / Q000453:epidemiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D011632:Public Assistance / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012307:Risk Factors; D016387:Women's Health