Work

Association between food insecurity, ethnicity, and mental health in the UK: An analysis of the Family Resource Survey

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: ABSTRACT Background Food insecurity is associated with mental ill-health, but there is limited evidence on ethnicity despite indication that minority ethnic groups are at risk of food insecurity and worse mental health. We assess the relationship between UK food insecurity, ethnicity and mental health using a representative household survey. Methods Data from the 2019/20 Family Resource Survey provided information on ethnicity, subjective rating of anxiety (10-point scale), presence of long-standing illnesses affecting mental health, and food security assessed using 10-item Adult Food Security module. Linear and logistic regression was used to assess the relationship between food security status and degree of anxiety and presence of long-standing illness affecting mental health. Analyses were adjusted for covariates and stratified by ethnicity. Results 19,210 participants were included. The majority were food secure (87%), identified as White (90.7%), reported a median and interquartile range of anxiety of 2 (0-5), and 22% reported a long-standing illness affecting mental health. Food insecurity was associated with increased levels of anxiety (adjusted β=1.51, 95% CI:(1.34, 1.68)) among all ethnic groups, with greatest increase among people identifying as Black/African/Caribbean/Black British (β=1.75 (1.05, 2.44)). Food insecurity was associated with longstanding illness affecting mental health (adjusted OR 2.01 (1.70, 2.39)) among all ethnic groups; Asian/Asian British respondents reported the highest odds of having a longstanding illness affecting their mental health (OR=2.63 (1.05, 6.56)). Conclusion The impact of UK food insecurity on mental health affects all ethnic groups but is worse for ethnic minorities, necessitating a population-wide response to food insecurity alongside targeted interventions addressing ethnic inequalities.

Source: PLoS ONE

DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0332762

Authors: Maddy Power, Tiffany Yang, Katie Pybus, Benham Tajik

Institutions: University of York, Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Bradford Institute for Health Research, Hull York Medical School

Language: English

Topic: Food Security and Health in Diverse Populations

Subfield: General Health Professions

Field: Health Professions

Domain: Health Sciences

SDGs: Good health and well-being, Reduced inequalities, No poverty

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $2,382