Associations of the Food Insecurity Experience Scale with Socioeconomic and Psychological Factors in Japan

Background: The Food Insecurity Experience Scale (FIES), developed by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), is a standardized tool for measuring food insecurity (FI) and enabling international comparisons. Although reliable tools are essential, the FIES has not yet been applied or validated in research conducted in Japan. This study aimed to assess the internal validity of the FIES among Japanese individuals and to identify the sociodemographic, socioeconomic, and psychological characteristics and public assistance status of individuals experiencing FI. Methods: A large-scale, cross-sectional online survey targeting Japanese adult panel members was conducted in 2022. In total, 23,576 respondents were included in the final analysis. The internal validity of the FIES was evaluated according to FAO guidelines. Multivariate-adjusted odds ratio (AOR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) were calculated to determine the associations between FI and sociodemographic factors as well as other factors. Results: The FI scale in this population was acceptable, as indicated by infit statistics ranging from 0.7 to 1.3. Reliability was adequate (0.72). Additionally, the number of types of public assistance (AOR [95% CI] = 1.17 [1.00-1.47]) and factors such as greater severity of psychological distress (AOR [95% CI] = 5.89 [4.74-7.33]) were significantly associated with a higher risk of FI. Conclusions: This study confirmed the reliability and internal validity of the FIES in a Japanese population and identified characteristics of groups at high risk of FI. Focusing on these populations may help detect previously overlooked FI in developed countries and enable timely interventions.