Dietary Intake, Behaviors and Psychosocial Factors Among Women from Food-Secure and Food-Insecure Households in the United States.
OBJECTIVE
Determine whether macro- and micro-nutrient intake, energy intake, diet quality, adherence to recommended dietary intake, and psychosocial and behavioral factors are associated with household food security.


METHODS
Baseline data from in-person interviews and telephone-based, 24-hour dietary recall from women recruited to a diet and physical activity controlled trial.


METHODS
Neighborhoods encompassing 18 urban census tracts in South Carolina.


METHODS
Participants (n=202) were predominantly African American (87%), overweight or obese women aged 25 to 51 years with mean body mass index of 40.6±8.7.


METHODS
Macro- and micro-nutrient intake, energy intake, diet quality, adherence to recommended dietary intake (via multi-pass, 24-h recall); diet-related self-efficacy and social support, healthy/lowfat and emotional eating behaviors, and depressive symptoms.


RESULTS
Women in food-secure (FS) and food insecure (FI) households were not different on health and sociodemographic characteristics. Women in FI households had lower self-efficacy and healthy/low-fat eating behaviors, and higher emotional eating and depressive symptoms compared with women in FS households. The groups did not differ on social support. Significant dietary differences were few (FS>FI on protein and lean meat; FS<FI on carbohydrate intake). For 29 of 35 (74%) dietary intake recommendations, less than 75% of women in both groups met each recommendation.


CONCLUSIONS
While food security status was associated with diet-related psychosocial and behavioral factors, it was associated with few aspects of dietary intake. Dietary intake overall was poor. Participants were not meeting guidelines for a diet supportive of general health or weight loss and management, regardless of food security status.
College of Social Work, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC.
Patricia A
PA
Sharpe
Department of Epidemiology and Community Health, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN.
Kara
K
Whitaker
Department of Psychology, College of Arts and Sciences, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC.
Kassandra A
KA
Alia
Department of Exercise Science, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC; Prevention Research Center, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC.
Sara
S
Wilcox
Prevention Research Center, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC.
Brent
B
Hutto
D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American; D015992:Body Mass Index; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003863:Depression; D004032:Diet; D002149:Energy Intake; D015444:Exercise; D005247:Feeding Behavior / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D005523:Food Supply; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity; D050177:Overweight; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D013022:South Carolina; D014481:United States; D014505:Urban Population; D015431:Weight Loss
African American Women; Food Insecurity; Food Security; Poverty