Food Insecurity, Diet Quality, Home Food Availability, and Health Risk Behaviors Among Emerging Adults: Findings From the EAT 2010-2018 Study.

Abstract

<i>Objectives.</i> To examine emerging adults' experiences of food insecurity in relation to measures of diet quality, food literacy, home food availability, and health behaviors.<i>Methods.</i> We used EAT 2010-2018 (Eating and Activity over Time) study data on 1568 participants who completed surveys as adolescents in 2009 to 2010 and follow-up surveys in 2017 to 2018 (mean age = 22.0 ±2.0 years; 58% female). At baseline, participants were recruited from 20 urban schools in Minneapolis-St Paul, Minnesota. Food insecurity was defined by emerging adult report of both eating less than they thought they should and not eating when hungry because of lack of money.<i>Results.</i> The prevalence at follow up of experiencing food insecurity in the past year was 23.3% among emerging adults. Food insecurity was associated with poorer diet quality (e.g., less vegetables and whole grains, more sugar-sweetened drinks and added sugars), lower home availability of healthy foods, skipping breakfast, frequently eating at fast-food restaurants, binge eating, binge drinking, and substance use (all <i>P</i> < .01).<i>Conclusions.</i> Assistance programs and policies are needed to address food insecurity among emerging adults and should be coordinated with other services to protect health.