School of Public Health, SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Kattankulathur, Tamil Nadu, India
Institute for Health and Social Policy, McGill University, Montreal, Québec, Canada.
J Epidemiol Community Health. 2023 Apr;77(4):252-257. doi: 10.1136/jech-2022-219721. Epub 2023 Feb 8.
Food insecurity is a global public health concern; however, there is limited knowledge about its health impacts in India. We examined the associations of food insecurity with socioeconomic conditions, chronic disease and various domains of health and well-being in a community sample of middle-aged and older adults (45+ years) in India.
Cross-sectional nationally representative data were collected in wave 1 (2017-2018) of the Longitudinal Ageing Study in India. Food insecurity was measured by questions of access and availability of food. We used logistic regression analyses to examine associations of food insecurity with poor self-rated health, limitations in activities of daily living (ADLs), instrumental ADLs, low life satisfaction, depression, sleep problems and low body mass.
Food insecurity related to all seven indicators of poor health and well-being, even after controlling for material wealth and the presence of multimorbidity (which food insecurity also predicted). Associations with mental health were stronger for those for physical health. For instance, food insecurity related to a threefold increase in probable depression (OR=2.9, 95% CI=2.4 to 3.4) and low life satisfaction (OR=3.4, 95% CI=2.9 to 3.8).
Food insecurity is a powerful social determinant of poor health among older adults in India. Policy measures to improve population health and well-being should closely follow trends in food insecurity, particularly among those living in poverty and with multiple health conditions.
粮食不安全是全球公共卫生关注的问题；然而，人们对其在印度的健康影响知之甚少。我们在印度的一项中年和老年人群（45 岁以上）的社区样本中，研究了粮食不安全与社会经济状况、慢性病以及健康和幸福的各个领域之间的关系。
使用来自印度纵向老龄化研究（2017-2018 年）的第 1 波（wave 1）的横断面全国代表性数据。通过获取食物的机会和可得性问题来衡量粮食不安全。我们使用逻辑回归分析来检验粮食不安全与自我报告的健康状况不佳、日常生活活动（ADL）受限、工具性 ADL、生活满意度低、抑郁、睡眠问题和低体重之间的关联。
粮食不安全与所有七种健康和幸福指标都有关联，即使在控制了物质财富和多疾病共存的情况下（粮食不安全也可以预测多疾病共存）也是如此。与心理健康的关联对于身体健康的关联更强。例如，粮食不安全与可能的抑郁（OR=2.9，95%CI=2.4 至 3.4）和生活满意度低（OR=3.4，95%CI=2.9 至 3.8）相关。
粮食不安全是印度老年人群健康状况不佳的一个强有力的社会决定因素。为改善人口健康和幸福而采取的政策措施应密切关注粮食不安全的趋势，尤其是在那些生活贫困和患有多种健康状况的人群中。
