Food Insecurity Is Associated With Food-Related Psychosocial Factors and Behaviors Among Low-Income African American Adults in Baltimore City

Abstract

Using a sample of 175 low-income urban African American adults, we examined the relationship between food insecurity and knowledge, self-efficacy, intentions, healthy and unhealthy food getting, and preparation. Food security was positively associated with employment, possession of health insurance, and residence in West Baltimore. Contrary to expectation, food insecure adults had greater healthy eating self-efficacy and got healthy foods more frequently than food secure respondents. However, they were also less likely to prepare foods using healthy cooking practices. Respondents with higher healthy eating intentions prepared food in healthful ways and acquired unhealthy foods less frequently. Efforts to improve the nutritional health of the food insecure population should focus on psychosocial factors and food-related behaviors.

Healthier Home Food Preparation Methods and Youth and Caregiver Psychosocial Factors Are Associated with Lower BMI in African American Youth ,

“…The caregivers were asked to report socioeconomic indicators as well, including their education level, employment status, and participation in food assistance such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children, and free/reduced price school lunches. SES was assessed via a proxy material style of life (MSL) measure that asked for a count of 12 select working household possessions, such as televisions, air conditioners, etc., a method for wealth ranking commonly used in settings where reliable income information is difficult to obtain (23)(24)(25). Caregivers were also asked to report the number of young children (,10 y), number of older adults (.65 y), total number of people, and total dollars spent on food per month in their household.…”

Access to food source and food source use are associated with healthy and unhealthy food-purchasing behaviours among low-income African-American adults in Baltimore City

“…television, cellular phone, central air conditioning) and was used as a proxy for socio-economic status (SES). A high MSL score approximates higher SES (30) .…”

“…The 106-item Consumer Impact Questionnaire (CIQ) used in the present study has been described in detail elsewhere (30) . The CIQ includes items to measure food source use, food source access and food getting, described in detail below.…”

“…potato chips, soda, sugary drinks, whole milk and canned tuna in oil). Sum scores ranged from 0 to 147, with a mean of 28?4 (SD 5 26?1, a 5 0?73) (30) . Higher scores indicate that foods were obtained very frequently.…”

“…Healthy food-getting score summed the frequency of obtaining twenty-six healthy foods (e.g. low-fat milk, diet soda, fruit and vegetables, whole-wheat bread, highfibre and low-sugar cereals, low-sodium pretzels and cooking spray) in the past 30 d. Sum scores ranged from 1 to 145, with a mean of 34?1 (SD 5 27?2, a 5 0?77) (30) .…”