Associations between Food Insecurity and Perceived Overall Health, Stress, and Counseling Utilization among a Representative Sample of the Active-Duty United States Military, 2020

Background

In 2020, ∼10% of United States civilian households were food insecure compared with ∼25% of households with active-duty United States military service members. Given the increased risk for food insecurity in the military, it is vital to investigate both the precursors and consequences of food insecurity in military populations.

Objectives

To determine associations between food insecurity and perceived overall health, stress, and psychological counseling utilization in United States military service members.

Methods

Using weighted logistic regressions, we conducted secondary analyses of the 2020 Status of Forces Survey-Active Duty (unweighted n = 12,324), a nationally representative cross-sectional, probability-based survey of United States military service members.

Results

Approximately 25% of respondents were food insecure. Respondents with low (adjusted odds ratio [AOR]: 1.36; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.14, 1.64) and very low food security (AOR: 1.71; 95% CI: 1.35, 2.18) had significantly greater odds of current work-related stress compared with food secure respondents. Respondents with low (AOR: 1.49; 95% CI: 1.18, 1.89) and very low food security (AOR: 1.88; 95% CI: 1.42, 2.47) had lower self-perceived overall health compared with food secure respondents. There was no association between food insecurity and psychological counseling utilization.

Conclusions

Although food insecure respondents had higher odds of stress and poorer perceptions of overall health, they had similar odds of utilizing counseling support, suggesting potential opportunities for specialized engagement. Military leadership engagement with service members for counseling support and supplemental nutrition assistance resources could improve health outcomes and increase quality of life.