The Prevalence of Food Insecurity Is Highest Among Americans for Whom Diet Is Most Critical to Health
James B. Kirby, Didem Bernard, Lan Liang
Abstract
Diabetes is one of the most prevalent and costly health conditions in the U.S. (1), and diet plays a fundamental role in managing the condition effectively. Yet prior research raises concerns about the “food security” of people with diabetes (i.e., whether they have access to healthy, affordable food) (2,3). It is unknown, however, how widespread food insecurity is among people with diabetes across different insurance types and, moreover, whether food assistance is adequately addressing the problem (4). This study helps to fill this gap by providing national estimates of the prevalence of food insecurity among Americans with diabetes by insurance status and receipt of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. We used a new source of data on food security from the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS), a nationally representative survey sponsored by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. In 2016 and 2017, the MEPS included an interview module designed to assess food security based on a validated instrument developed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (5). These data, together with data from the MEPS questionnaire on diabetes care, provide a unique resource for investigating the …