Food insecurity is associated with metabolic syndrome among US adults: NHANES 2005–2016

The primary objective of this study was to examine the association between food security status and metabolic syndrome (MetS) using a nationally representative dataset. We hypothesized that food insecurity would be associated with an increased odds of having MetS. This was a cross-sectional analysis of data from the 2005–2006 to 2015–2016 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey data collection cycles. Food security was measured using the US Food Security Survey Module. Presence of MetS was determined using the National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III criteria. The association between food insecurity and MetS was examined using logistic regression models stratified by sex and adjusted for poverty to income ratio, age, race, marital status, educational attainment, smoking status, and body mass index. After adjusting for covariates, men with marginal (odds ratio, 1.64; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.22–2.20) and low (odds ratio, 1.33; 95% CI, 1.02–1.73) food security had a higher odds of having MetS than men with full food security; however, this association was lost among men with very low food security. For women, very low food security was associated with a 1.61 times greater odds of having MetS (95% CI, 1.16–2.25). These results suggest that food insecurity is generally associated with an increased prevalence of MetS for women, but not necessarily for men. These findings highlight the need to address rising food insecurity rates, while also highlighting the need for further research to fully elucidate the role of gender and sex in food insecurity and chronic disease.