Identifying predictors for food insecurity in England: a cross-sectional database analysis

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Nutrition Science
• Socioeconomic Determinants of Health

Background:

• Nutrition is a key modifiable risk factor for non-communicable diseases globally.
• Food security, defined as access to sufficient healthy food, is a growing concern in the UK, with rising prices impacting low-income households.
• UK food insecurity rates are among the highest in Europe.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify predictors of household food insecurity in England.
• To analyze nationally representative data to understand factors contributing to food insecurity.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of the 'Food and You 2: Wave 6' cross-sectional dataset.
• Utilized the USDA Household Food Security Survey Module to define food security status.
• Calculated risk ratios for food insecurity based on demographics, socioeconomic status, and health conditions.

Main Results:

• 23.4% of households experienced food insecurity.
• Increased risk associated with younger age groups (<65), larger households (≥5), presence of young children (<16 and <6), income <£64,000, unemployment, student status, Asian/African ethnicities, chronic conditions, and high deprivation (IMD=1).

Conclusions:

• Age, household size, presence of children, income, employment, ethnicity, and Index of Multiple Deprivation (IMD) are significant predictors of food insecurity.
• Further research is needed to develop screening tools for identifying at-risk populations.
• Effective support provision requires understanding these complex relationships.