Association between food insecurity and food intake.

BACKGROUND: We aim to identify the prevalence of food insecurity and to ascertain the association between food insecurity and food intake.

METHOD: A cross-sectional survey.

SETTING: The study included users of a primary healthcare service in Belo Horizonte, Brazil, from 2013 to 2014. Socioeconomic, health, and food intake data were gathered using a questionnaire and the Brazilian Food Insecurity Scale.

SUBJECTS: Individuals 20 years old or older (n = 2817).

RESULTS: The prevalence of food insecurity among families with individuals under 18 years was 41.0%, and 26.4% in other households. After adjusting for potential confounders, the households in food insecurity with members under 18 years old, the consumption of fruits and vegetables (RP = 0.70, 95%IC: 0.58-0.84), and fruits (RP = 0.74, 95%IC: 0.59-0.93) was lower; and consumption of beans was higher (RP = 1.49, 95%IC: 1.06-2.09) compared to those with food security. In households without members under 18 years old, the consumption of fruits and vegetables (RP = 0.68, 95%IC: 0.58-0.79), fruits (RP = 0.61, 95%IC: 0.50-0.74), and beans (RP = 0.78, 95%IC: 0.63-0.97) was lower; and the consumption of tubers (RP = 1.36, 95%IC: 1.03-1.79) was higher. However, the state of food insecurity did not affect the consumption of ultra-processed foods, independently of age, sex, marital status, educational level, and employed status.

CONCLUSION: Food insecurity negatively affected the fruit and vegetable consumption in both types of families tested. The consumption of beans was higher in households with children and adolescents, and the consumption of tubers was higher in households without children and adolescents. However, food insecurity did not change the intake of ultraprocessed foods.