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

There is a gap in the literature specifically addressing the relationship between food insecurity and the risk of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Study Design: A case-control study.

This study aimed to evaluate the association between food insecurity and the risk of AD in 301 participants, including 150 cases and 151 controls. Cases were recruited among people in the early stages of the disease who had been diagnosed with AD within the past six months. Controls were selected from health centers across Tehran. Food security status was assessed using the validated Persian translation of the 18-item United States Department of Agriculture's household food security questionnaire.

After adjusting for potential cofounders, food insecurity was associated with a higher risk of AD (odds ratio [OR]: 2.80; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.59-4.94). Among female participants, food insecurity increased the odds of AD (OR: 3.54; 95% CI: 1.72-7.30). For individuals under 65, food insecurity also increased the likelihood of AD nearly four-fold (OR: 3.94, 95% CI: 1.48-10.47), while for those over 65, the risk was only 2.89 times (OR: 2.89, 95% CI: 1.36-6.14).

Food insecurity might be associated with an increased risk of AD. Further research is required to explore the relationship between food insecurity and other types of neurological disorders or health conditions. More precisely, future studies should aim to investigate the association in a prospective design.