Association between food security status and dietary patterns in a cohort of first-time food-aid users.

Objective: To examine the associations between food security status and dietary patterns among first-time food-aid users.

Methods: From September 2018 to January 2020, a sample of 1001 newly registered food-aid users from 106 community-based food donation organizations were recruited across urban, rural, and peri-urban areas in four administrative regions of the province of Quebec, Canada. The Household Food Security Survey Module (HFSSM) and the Short Diet Questionnaire (SDQ) were used to assess food security status and food intake, respectively. A posteriori dietary patterns were identified through principal component analysis. Regression analyses were performed on 987 participants with complete data to quantify the association between food security status and dietary patterns.

Results: Three main dietary patterns were identified: prudent (intake of fruits and fruit juice, plant-based beverages and legumes, green salad, carrots, other vegetables, whole grains, and fish), western (intake of poultry, red meat, potatoes and fried potatoes, rice, and pasta and refined grains), and snack foods (intake of salty snacks, cheese, butter and margarine, sweets, condiments, sweet beverages, and processed meat). Food insecurity was negatively associated with the prudent dietary pattern and positively associated with the snack food dietary pattern.

Conclusion: This study highlights the complexity of dietary patterns in a vulnerable population of first-time food-aid users, especially among those who are severely food insecure.