What question did this study set out to answer?

This research aims to investigate the relationships between food insecurity and various health markers such as diet quality and mental well-being.

February 19, 2026Open Access

Food insecurity and self-reported markers of health across multiple body systems: associations with diet quality, mental well-being, gut symptoms, and immunity

Key Points

This research aims to investigate the relationships between food insecurity and various health markers such as diet quality and mental well-being.
Administered an online questionnaire to 953 adults in the UK, including 210 with food insecurity.
Used the USDA Household Food Security Survey to measure food insecurity.
Assessed diet quality using the Easy Diet Screener.
Evaluated health outcomes including mental well-being, gastrointestinal symptoms, and immune status.
Analyzed data using logistic regression to identify associations.
Individuals with food insecurity had 2.67 times higher odds of adopting a Western dietary pattern.
Food insecurity correlated with a 3.12 times increased likelihood of high perceived stress.
Reduced self-reported immune status was observed with odds of 1.91 for those facing food insecurity.
Participants experiencing food insecurity reported gastrointestinal symptoms with 2.30 times greater odds.

Abstract

Abstract Aim To explore the associations between food insecurity (FI) with dietary quality and markers of mental well-being, gastrointestinal symptoms, and immune status among United Kingdom (UK)-based adults. Subject and methods An online questionnaire was administered to 953 UK-based adults, including 210 individuals living with FI, to evaluate FI status, diet quality, and a series of health outcomes. FI was measured using the six-item US Department of Agriculture (USDA) Household Food Security Survey. Diet quality was assessed using the Easy Diet Screener. Health outcomes included markers of mental well-being (Perceived Stress Scale and GAD-7 generalised anxiety disorder seven-item scale), gastrointestinal symptoms (Short Health Scale for gastrointestinal symptoms), and self-reported immune status (Immune Status Questionnaire, cumulative incidence of self-reported infections CISRI score, and antibiotic use). Cross-sectional associations were explored using logistic regression, with data presented as odds ratios (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Results Participants living with FI had almost threefold greater odds of following a Western dietary pattern (OR = 2.67, 95% CI 1.85, 3.91, p < 0.001). FI was associated with multiple negative health outcomes including greater odds of high perceived stress (OR = 3.12, 95% CI 2.10, 4.63, p < 0.001), reduced self-reported immune status (OR = 1.91, 95% CI 1.31, 2.77, p < 0.001), and gastrointestinal symptoms (OR = 2.30, 95% CI 1.39, 3.75, p < 0.001). Conclusion These findings support the accumulating body of evidence that FI is linked with multiple adverse health outcomes and highlight it as a multi-system health risk factor. Tackling FI should be a major public health and policy priority.

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Cite This Study

Lucia et al. (Wed,) studied this question.

synapsesocial.com/papers/6996a84cecb39a600b3eecfc https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1007/s10389-026-02700-8

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