Association between food insecurity, ethnicity, and mental health in the UK: An analysis of the Family Resource Survey

Abstract

ABSTRACTBackgroundFood insecurity is associated with mental ill-health, but there is limited evidence on ethnicity despite indication that minority ethnic groups are at risk of food insecurity and worse mental health. We assess the relationship between UK food insecurity, ethnicity and mental health using a representative household survey.MethodsData from the 2019/20 Family Resource Survey provided information on ethnicity, subjective rating of anxiety (10-point scale), presence of long-standing illnesses affecting mental health, and food security assessed using 10-item Adult Food Security module. Linear and logistic regression was used to assess the relationship between food security status and degree of anxiety and presence of long-standing illness affecting mental health. Analyses were adjusted for covariates and stratified by ethnicity.Results19,210 participants were included. The majority were food secure (87%), identified as White (90.7%), reported a median and interquartile range of anxiety of 2 (0-5), and 22% reported a long-standing illness affecting mental health. Food insecurity was associated with increased levels of anxiety (adjusted β=1.51, 95% CI:(1.34, 1.68)) among all ethnic groups, with greatest increase among people identifying as Black/African/Caribbean/Black British (β=1.75 (1.05, 2.44)). Food insecurity was associated with longstanding illness affecting mental health (adjusted OR 2.01 (1.70, 2.39)) among all ethnic groups; Asian/Asian British respondents reported the highest odds of having a longstanding illness affecting their mental health (OR=2.63 (1.05, 6.56)).ConclusionThe impact of UK food insecurity on mental health affects all ethnic groups but is worse for ethnic minorities, necessitating a population-wide response to food insecurity alongside targeted interventions addressing ethnic inequalities.