The association between food insecurity and psychological distress among foreign-born and US-born Latinos

Latinos compared with non-Latino Whites are more likely to experience food insecurity and report greater psychological distress than other racial/ethnic groups. However, limited research has compared the association between food insecurity and psychological distress among US-born and foreign-born Latinos.

We used cross-sectional 2014-2018 National Health Interview Survey data on 9942 Latino participants, 18-59 years of age that were ≤299 % of the federal poverty line (FPL). The 10-item USDA Food Security Scale was used to categorize participants as food secure (≤2 items) and food insecure (≥3 items). The Kessler-6 scale was used to measure psychological distress and to classify participants as having no psychological distress (<6 items), moderate psychological distress (MPD; 6-12 items), and serious psychological distress (SPD; ≥13 items). Covariate-adjusted multinomial logistic regression models estimated the associations between food insecurity and psychological distress for the full sample and stratified by nativity status.

In adjusted models, compared with those that were food secure, food insecure Latinos were significantly more likely to report MPD (OR: 2.52, 95 % CI: 2.13-2.99) and SPD (OR: 3.94, 95 % CI: 3.08-5.02). Stratified by nativity, the association was slightly stronger among foreign-born Latinos.

Latinos with greater psychological distress are less likely to utilize public assistance programs designed to facilitate food access, which can indirectly reduce psychological distress. Findings highlight the continued need for community-based interventions and programs designed to reduce food insecurity.