Study: Food insecurity increases risk of heart disease

A new study suggests that lack of access to food and the stress caused by food insecurity were associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease (Source: “Food insecurity can affect heart disease, research says,” Dayton Daily News, Feb. 13).

A recent JAMA study found economic food insecurity was associated with risks of coronary heart disease and these associations persisted after further adjustment for diet quality and perceived stress. High frequency of unfavorable food stores was not associated with coronary heart disease, heart failure, or stroke, researchers said. Researchers pointed to economic food insecurity as a potential target for intervention to improve health outcomes.

Food insecurity disproportionately impacts Black, Hispanic and single-parent households. The U.S. Department of Agriculture found in 2018 that 11.1% of all U.S. households were food insecure — with 13.9% of all households with children also food insecure.