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American College of Preventive Medicine

  • Loneliness

Social Isolation, Loneliness, and Quality of Life Among Food-Insecure Adults

Introduction Food insecurity is associated with adverse health outcomes, but may also have a detrimental effect on social relationships, potentially exacerbating social isolation and loneliness, and consequently affecting health-related quality of life. This study examined the associations of food insecurity with social isolation, loneliness, and health-related quality of life among U.S. adults. Methods A retrospective cohort study was conducted using panel data from the 2020 2021 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey. Regression models were used to assess the associations of food insecurity in 1 year with the outcomes of interest in the subsequent year while adjusting for baseline individual-level characteristics. Analysis was conducted in December 2023. Results Experiencing food insecurity in 2020 was significantly associated with increased reports of social isolation (3.1 percentage points [95% CI: 1.2 5.1]) and loneliness (9.7 percentage points [95% CI: 1.0 18.3]) in 2021. Additionally, food insecurity in 2020 was significantly associated with lower self-reported good mental health ( 2.9 percentage points [95% CI: 5.1, 0.6]) and mental component summary score from the Short Form-12 Health Survey ( 3.3 points [95% CI 3.8, 2.9]) in 2021. However, there were no or small associations with physical health-related quality of life. Conclusions Food insecurity is associated with worse social and mental well-being among U.S. adults. This suggests that food insecurity interventions should not focus too narrowly on nutrition, but instead give holistic consideration to the multiple ways food insecurity harms health not only via lower quality diets, but through worse mental health and impairing the ability to participate in social life.

Credit & MOC Details

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Credit types

This is a journal-based activity. Credit is earned after completing the required reading and assessment; the amount shown is the provider-reported available credit.

AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™Up to 1 credit

MOC types

No MOC

FDA REMS

No

Qualifies for MIPS

No

Target Specialties

Pricing

Paid

This provider typically $35

See fees on ajpmonline.org

Listed by the provider

  • Journal-based
  • Credit · Up to 1 credit
  • Paid · this provider typically $35
  • Released
    Jul 10, 2024
  • Last day to claim credit
    Jul 11, 2027 9 months left

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