Food insecurity and depressive symptoms among older adults assisted by the Family Health Strategy in the Northeast region of Brazil

Pereira, Marlus Henrique Queiroz; Pereira, Maria Luiza Amorim Sena; Teles, Bruno Klécius Andrade; Campos, Glaucia Cristina de; Molina, Maria del Carmen Bisi

doi:10.1590/1678-9865202336e220197

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ORIGINAL | Nutrition and Geriatrics • Rev Nutr 36 • 2023 • https://doi.org/10.1590/1678-9865202336e220197 copy

Food insecurity and depressive symptoms among older adults assisted by the Family Health Strategy in the Northeast region of Brazil

Insegurança alimentar e sintomas depressivos em idosos atendidos pela Estratégia Saúde da Família na Região Nordeste do Brasil

Authorship SCIMAGO INSTITUTIONS RANKINGS

ABSTRACT

Objective

This study aimed to investigate the association between depressive symptoms and food insecurity in households with older adults.

Methods

This is a cross-sectional, quantitative study conducted with community-dwelling older adults attended to in the Family Health Strategy in a municipality in the Brazilian Northeast. Depressive symptoms were evaluated using the Geriatric Depression Scale and food insecurity was assessed using the Brazilian Food Insecurity Scale. The chi-squared test was applied for a bivariate analysis and binary logistic regression was used to verify the association between depressive symptoms and food insecurity, adjusted for potential confounding variables. The significance level was p<0.05.

Results

A total of 316 older adults were evaluated, with a mean age of 70.5 (±7.5 years). The prevalence of depressive symptoms was 27.5% and that of food insecurity was 63.3%, with 25.6% of households with older adults experiencing moderate/severe insecurity. In the multivariate analysis, households experiencing mild food insecurity presented 3 times (OR: 3.02; 95% CI: 1.42-6.39) more chance of developing depressive symptoms, while in those experiencing moderate/severe food insecurity the chance was 5 times higher (OR: 5.01; 95% CI: 2.30-10.92).

Conclusion

An association was found between food insecurity and depressive symptoms in households with older adults of the Family Health Strategy, with more chances for those experiencing moderate/severe food insecurity.

Keywords
Aged; Depression; Family health; Food security; Mental health

Variables		Total			Depressive symptoms					p-value
		Total		Without symptoms			With symptoms
		n	%		n	%		n	%
Sex
	Female	195	61.7		132	67.7		63	32.2	0.016^* * Significance level (p<0.05).
Age (years)
	60-69	172	54.4		124	72.1		48	27.9	0.975
Race/color
	Black/brown	164	51.9		118	72.0		46	28.0	0.700
Schooling
	<4 years	230	72.8		152	66.1		68	33.9	<0.001^* * Significance level (p<0.05).
Marital status
	With a partner	163	51.6		128	78.5		35	21.5	0.013^* * Significance level (p<0.05).
Religious practice
	Yes	286	90.5		210	73.4		76	26.6	0.239
Minor in the household
	No	231	73.1		173	74.9		58	25.1	0.112
Pension program
	Yes	269	85.1		194	72.1		75	27.9	0.739
Alcohol consumption
	No	272	86.1		193	71.0		79	29.0	0.135
Smoking
	No	282	89.2		207	73.4		75	26.6	0.283
Physical activity
	No	188	59.5		122	64.9		66	35.1	<0.001^* * Significance level (p<0.05).
Prescription drugs
	≥3	151	47.9		111	73.5		40	26.5	0.756
Hospitalization (12 months)
	No	285	90.2		208	73.0		77	27.0	0.535
Food insecurity
	Food security	116	36.7		102	87.9		14	12.1
	Mild food insecurity	119	37.7		85	71.4		34	28.6
	Moderate/severe food insecurity	81	25.6		42	51.9		39	48.1	<0.001^* * Significance level (p<0.05).

Variables/categories		Model I		Model II		Model III
Variables/categories		OR	95% CI	OR	(95% CI)	OR	(95% CI)
Food insecurity
	Mild food insecurity	2.91	(1.46-5.78)^* * Significance level (p<0.05). OR: Odds Ratio.	3.18	(1.52-6.64)^* * Significance level (p<0.05). OR: Odds Ratio.	3.02	(1.42-6.39)^* * Significance level (p<0.05). OR: Odds Ratio.
	Moderate/severe food insecurity	6.76	(3.33-13.74)^* * Significance level (p<0.05). OR: Odds Ratio.	5.63	(2.61-12.11)^* * Significance level (p<0.05). OR: Odds Ratio.	5.01	(2.30-10.92)^* * Significance level (p<0.05). OR: Odds Ratio.
Sex
	Female			1.79	(0.98-3.27)	1.76	(0.94-3.29)
Age (years)
	70 to 79			0.72	(0.39-1.32)	0.67	(0.36-1.26)
	80 or more			1.18	(0.48-2.89)	1.12	(0.45-2.75)
Schooling
	<4 years			4.08	(1.85-9.00)^*	3.81	(1.71-8.49)^* * Significance level (p<0.05). OR: Odds Ratio.
Marital status
	Without a partner			1.22	(0.69-2.19)	1.18	(0.66-2.13)
Minor in the household
	Yes			1.31	(0.72-2.38)	1.27	(0.69-2.32)
Alcohol consumption
	Yes					0.66	(0.27-1.61)
Physical activity
	No					2.05	(1.12-3.77)^* * Significance level (p<0.05). OR: Odds Ratio.

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[1] Correspondence to: MHQ PEREIRA. E-mail: marlus.pereira@ufob.edu.br.