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Background: Research suggests a bidirectional relationship between food insecurity and stress, but few studies have examined associations of food insecurity with stress and other indicators of cardiometabolic health, including depression, diet quality, and body weight, among lower-income women in the U.S., Methods: This cross-sectional study analyzed data from lower-income women caregivers living in North Carolina (n = 100): 42% Black/African American, 25% Hispanic/Latina, and 33% White women. Multivariable linear regression models were used to determine associations of food insecurity status with perceived stress, depressive symptoms, diet quality, and body mass index (BMI). Multivariable logistic regression models were used to determine associations of food insecurity with clinical depression and BMI ≥ 30 kg/m 2 . Associations were examined with and without adjustment for perceived stress., Results: Forty-two percent of the sample were experiencing food insecurity. Compared to food secure caregivers, food-insecure caregivers had significantly higher perceived stress (β: +7.51; 95%CI: 4.19, 10.84) and depressive symptoms (β: +3.55; 95%CI: 0.54, 6.56) and lower diet quality (β: -9.10; 95%CI: -15.81, -2.40). Associations with BMI outcomes were not statistically significant., Conclusion: Findings support removing stigma in nutrition assistance programs and clinical interactions, motivate future longitudinal studies, and inform the development of destigmatizing interventions for health promotion or disease prevention.

Despite evidence for the role of healthy diets in preventing cancer, little is known about how nutrition can support positive health outcomes after a cancer diagnosis for Latino/a cancer survivors in the United States (U.S.). The purpose of this scoping review is to understand the potential benefits of nutrition interventions in supporting healthy survivorship among Latino/a cancer survivors in the U.S. A team compiled, evaluated, and summarized the available evidence. Potentially relevant studies were identified from a comprehensive search of peer-reviewed databases and the gray literature. Eligible studies included Latino/a adult cancer survivors with a nutrition education, dietary change, or behavioral intervention; and a nutrition-related health outcome. Data were extracted and summarized using tables. The review included 10 randomized controlled trials, with samples or subsamples of Latino/a cancer survivors. Interventions mostly focused on breast cancer survivors. The results showed some evidence that dietary behaviors, like fruit and vegetable intake, were related to positive outcomes, like a decreased risk of cancer (through changes in DNA methylation), decreased risk breast cancer recurrence (through changes in inflammatory biomarkers), or improved perception of health status. The findings highlight a need for community-engaged and culturally relevant nutrition interventions for Latino/a adults, especially for rural communities; and innovative intervention approaches, including m/ehealth approaches with long-term follow-up.

Context: Food insecurity matters for women's nutrition and health., Objective: This review sought to comprehensively evaluate how food insecurity relates to a full range of dietary outcomes (food groups, total energy, macronutrients, micronutrients, and overall dietary quality) among adult women living in Canada and the United States., Data Sources: Peer-reviewed databases (PubMed/MEDLINE, CINAHL, Scopus, Web of Science) and gray literature sources from 1995 to 2016 were searched., Data Extraction: Observational studies were used to calculate a percentage difference in dietary intake for food-insecure and food-secure groups., Results: Of the 24 included studies, the majority found food-insecure women had lower food group frequencies (dairy, total fruits and vegetables, total grains, and meats/meat alternatives) and intakes of macro- and micronutrients relative to food-secure women. Methodological quality varied. Among high-quality studies, food insecurity was negatively associated with dairy, fruits and vegetables, grains, meats/meats alternatives, protein, total fat, calcium, iron, magnesium, vitamins A and C, and folate., Conclusions: Results hold practical relevance for selecting nutritional targets in programs, particularly for nutrient-rich foods with iron and folate, which are more important for women's health.

There is a paucity of studies acknowledging the existence of alternative food sources, and factors associated with food purchasing from three common alternative sources: vendedores (mobile food vendors), pulgas (flea markets), and vecinos/amigos (neighbors/friends). This analysis aims to examine the use of alternative food sources by Mexican-origin women from Texas-border colonias and determine factors associated with their use. The design was cross-sectional. Promotora-researchers (promotoras de salud trained in research methods) recruited 610 Mexican-origin women from 44 colonias and conducted in-person surveys. Surveys included participant characteristics and measures of food environment use and household food security. Statistical analyses included separate logistic regressions, modeled for food purchase from mobile food vendors, pulgas, or neighbors/friends. Child food insecurity was associated with purchasing food from mobile food vendors, while household food security was associated with using pulgas or neighbors/friends. School nutrition program participants were more likely to live in households that depend on alternative food sources. Efforts to increase healthful food consumption such as fruits and vegetables should acknowledge all potential food sources (traditional, convenience, nontraditional, and alternative), especially those preferred by colonia residents. Current findings support the conceptual broadening of the retail food environment, and the importance of linking use with spatial access (proximity) to more accurately depict access to food sources., (Copyright © 2012 Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Food insecurity among Mexican-origin and Hispanic households is a critical nutritional health issue of national importance. At the same time, nutrition-related health conditions, such as obesity and type 2 diabetes, are increasing in Mexican-origin youth. Risk factors for obesity and type 2 diabetes are more common in Mexican-origin children and include increased intakes of energy-dense and nutrient-poor foods. This study assessed the relationship between children's experience of food insecurity and nutrient intake from food and beverages among Mexican-origin children (age 6-11 y) who resided in Texas border colonias., Methods: Baseline data from 50 Mexican-origin children were collected in the home by trained promotora-researchers. All survey (demographics and nine-item child food security measure) and 24-hour dietary recall data were collected in Spanish. Dietary data were collected in person on three occasions using a multiple-pass approach; nutrient intakes were calculated with NDS-R software. Separate multiple regression models were individually fitted for total energy, protein, dietary fiber, calcium, vitamin D, potassium, sodium, Vitamin C, and percentage of calories from fat and added sugars., Results: Thirty-two children (64%) reported low or very low food security. Few children met the recommendations for calcium, dietary fiber, and sodium; and none for potassium or vitamin D. Weekend intake was lower than weekday for calcium, vitamin D, potassium, and vitamin C; and higher for percent of calories from fat. Three-day average dietary intakes of total calories, protein, and percent of calories from added sugars increased with declining food security status. Very low food security was associated with greater intakes of total energy, calcium, and percentage of calories from fat and added sugar., Conclusions: This paper not only emphasizes the alarming rates of food insecurity for this Hispanic subgroup, but describes the associations for food insecurity and diet among this sample of Mexican-origin children. Child-reported food insecurity situations could serve as a screen for nutrition problems in children. Further, the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs, which play a major beneficial role in children's weekday intakes, may not be enough to keep pace with the nutritional needs of low and very low food secure Mexican-origin children.

The authors examined the associations of household food insecurity and other characteristics with fair-to-poor general health, poor physical health, and frequent mental distress among 1,367 rural and urban women in Texas. The 2006 Brazos Valley Community Health Assessment provided data on demographic characteristics, economic risk factors, health-related quality of life, household food insecurity, and geographic residence. Multivariable logistic regression models were estimated for the three health-related quality of life measures: fair-to-poor health, poor physical health, and frequent mental distress, adjusting for confounding variables. Having less than 12 years of education, not being employed full-time, and being household food insecure were independently significantly associated with increased odds for all health-related quality of life outcomes. Rural residence and being nonwhite were associated with fair-to-poor general health, but not physical or mental health. Results from the separate urban and rural models indicated that household food insecurity was associated with fair-to-poor general health among rural women, not among urban women. Poverty and being nonwhite were also associated with increased odds of reporting fair-to-poor general health, but were significant only among urban women. These results emphasize the need for health promotion and policy efforts to consider household food access and availability as part of promoting healthful food choices and good physical and mental health among women, especially rural women.

This study used the concept of material hardship to understand how unmet needs related to food, housing, and health influence depressive symptoms among homebound older adults (N = 345) in North Carolina. Using data from the Nutrition and Function Study, 37% reported high levels of depressive symptoms and 17.4% indicated not receiving needed health care. Approximately 10% of respondents were food insecure; 30.7% were at risk for food insecurity; and 39.7% reported having to choose between either food and medication or food and paying bills. Adjusted logistic regression model revealed that food insecurity status (OR = 4.9) and age 60-74 y (OR = 2.4) were significantly associated with a greater number of depressive symptoms. Other indicators of material hardship, such as having a major financial difficulty, unmet health need, and inadequate housing, were not significant. By far, food insecurity was the most salient influence on depressive symptoms. These findings have important implications for service providers, researchers, and policymakers.

The availability of an adequate household food supply is critical for the older population. There is little work that has examined food security and the influence of nativity on food security among older Mexican Americans living along the Texas-Mexico border. Using data from 140 older women (age ≥ 50 y) who participated in the 2009 Colonia Household and Community Food Resource Assessment (C-HCFRA), we examined demographic characteristics, health characteristics, food access and mobility, federal and community food and nutrition assistance programs, quality of food environment, food security, eating behaviors, and alternative food sources. 77% of participants experienced food insecurity, with 68% experiencing very low food security. Very low food security was associated with being born in Mexico, adjusting for household income and food assistance program participation. This article provides compelling evidence for enhanced research efforts that will better understand coping strategies and the use of food and nutrition assistance programs for reducing hardship associated with very low food security among older U.S.- and Mexico-born Mexican American women.

This study examined the association of compositional measures of collective social functioning, composed of community and familial social capital and perceived personal disparity, with food security among older (aged 50-59 y) and senior (aged ≥ 60 y) adult residents of the largely rural Brazos Valley in Central Texas using data from the 2006 Brazos Valley Community Health Assessment (analytic N = 1059, 74% response rate). Among older adults and seniors, 18.6% reported food insecurity (5.5% often and 13.1% sometimes), defined as running out of food and not having money to buy more. Low community social capital was reported by 22.4% of participants, and 30.8% indicated they were single, widowed, or divorced, an indicator of limited familial social capital. A robust multinomial regression model found the odds of reporting greater food insecurity increased for individuals who were women, African American, residents of a household with a low or poverty-level income, individuals who perceived themselves to be worse off than others within their community, and those who had low social capital. The odds of being food insecure decreased for older respondents, partnered respondents and persons with more education (pseudo r(2) = 0.27, p < 0.0000). Compositional level measures of collective social functioning are important associates of food insecurity among older adults and seniors, regardless of severity.

An abstract of the article "The Relationship Between Dietary Quality and Food Insecurity for a Sample of Low-Income Mothers" by Cassandra Johnson et al. is presented.