Faculty Collaboration Database

Gender Differences in the Relationship Between Food Insecurity and Body Mass Index Among Adults in the USA. J Gen Intern Med 2022 Dec;37(16):4202-4208

Date

07/23/2022

Pubmed ID

35867304

Pubmed Central ID

PMC9708957

DOI

10.1007/s11606-022-07714-y

Scopus ID

2-s2.0-85134669470 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site)   5 Citations

Abstract

BACKGROUND: In the USA, nearly 40% of adults ≥ 20 years have a body mass index (BMI) ≥ 30, and 11% of households are reported as food insecure. In adults, evidence shows women are more likely than men to be food insecure. Among adults with food insecurity, differences in BMI exist between men and women with women reporting higher BMI. Factors associated with this difference in BMI between genders are less understood.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to assess gender differences in the relationship between food insecurity and BMI.

DESIGN: Hierarchical models were analyzed using a general linear model by entering covariates sequentially in blocks (demographics, lifestyle behaviors, comorbidities, and dietary variables) and stratified by gender.

PARTICIPANTS: The sample included 25,567 adults in the USA from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), 2005-2014.

MAIN MEASURES: The dependent variable was BMI, and food insecurity was the primary predictor.

KEY RESULTS: Approximately 51% of the sample was women. Food insecure women were significantly more likely to have higher BMI compared to food secure women in the fully adjusted model after controlling for demographics (β = 1.79; 95% CI 1.17, 2.41); demographic and lifestyle factors (β = 1.79; 95% CI 1.19, 2.38); demographic, lifestyle, and comorbidities (β = 1.21; 95% CI 0.65, 1.77); and demographic, lifestyle, comorbidities, and dietary variables (β = 1.23; 95% CI 0.67, 1.79). There were no significant associations between food insecure and food secure men in the fully adjusted model variables (β = 0.36; 95% CI - 0.26, 0.98).

CONCLUSION: In this sample of adults, food insecurity was significantly associated with higher BMI among women after adjusting for demographics, lifestyle factors, comorbidities, and dietary variables. This difference was not observed among men. More research is necessary to understand this relationship among women.

Author List

Koller EC, Egede LE, Garacci E, Williams JS

Authors

Leonard E. Egede MD Center Director, Chief, Professor in the Medicine department at Medical College of Wisconsin
Joni Williams MD, MPH Associate Professor in the Medicine department at Medical College of Wisconsin

MESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold

Adult
Body Mass Index
Cross-Sectional Studies
Female
Food Supply
Humans
Male
Nutrition Surveys
Obesity
Sex Factors
Socioeconomic Factors
United States