Food Insecurity and Psychological Distress: a Review of the Recent Literature

Abstract

Purpose of review: Food insecurity is the lack of sufficient food in quantity and/or quality. Psychological distress includes mental health issues such as depression and anxiety. This review provides current information on research examining the association between food insecurity and psychological distress.

Recent findings: Among studies published in the previous 5 years, food insecurity was significantly and positively associated with multiple indicators of psychological distress. This included cross-sectional and longitudinal studies, as well as primary data collection and secondary data analyses, from countries of varying income levels. Articles also provided evidence within various populations, such as adults of all ages, college students, those living with chronic disease, and parents. Food insecurity and psychological distress are interconnected health issues. Future research should consider a number of important gaps in the literature, with the most important being the development of interventions to improve food insecurity and psychological health concurrently.

Keywords: Food insecurity; Mental health; Psychological distress; Psychological health; Psychological well-being.