Food Insecurity Is an Important Risk Factor for Alzheimer's Disease: A Case-Control Study

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Public Health
• Epidemiology

Background:

• A significant gap exists in understanding the connection between food insecurity and Alzheimer's disease (AD) risk.
• This study addresses this gap by investigating the potential association.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the association between food insecurity and the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease (AD).

Main Methods:

• A case-control study involving 301 participants (150 AD cases, 151 controls).
• Food security status was assessed using a validated Persian translation of the USDA household food security questionnaire.
• Participants were recruited from health centers in Tehran.

Main Results:

• Food insecurity was significantly associated with an increased risk of AD (OR: 2.80, 95% CI: 1.59-4.94) after adjusting for confounders.
• The association was stronger in female participants (OR: 3.54, 95% CI: 1.72-7.30).
• Individuals under 65 with food insecurity had a nearly four-fold increased likelihood of AD (OR: 3.94, 95% CI: 1.48-10.47), compared to 2.89 times for those over 65 (OR: 2.89, 95% CI: 1.36-6.14).

Conclusions:

• Food insecurity may be a contributing factor to an increased risk of Alzheimer's disease.
• Further prospective research is recommended to explore this relationship and its potential links to other neurological conditions.