Food Insecurity Is Associated with Cognitive Function: A Systematic Review of Findings across the Life Course

Food insecurity (FI) has negative implications across the life course that include poor health outcomes among both children and adults. However, the behavioral mechanisms by which FI impacts health behaviors are not clear. By understanding how FI is related to cognitive function/brain structure across the life course, we can design more targeted interventions. A systematic literature review was performed by conducting comprehensive database searches in Google Scholar and PubMed. Inclusion criteria required studies to include measures of FI and cognitive function/brain structure in humans. Study sample, design, outcomes, and biases were extracted. In total, 17 studies met the inclusion criteria. Cognitive domains included general cognition (n = 13), executive function (n = 10), visuospatial abilities (n = 4), and verbal memory (n = 8). No studies examined brain structure. Most studies (88%) indicated significant inverse associations between FI and cognitive function across all stages of the life course, particularly for general cognition and executive function. Significant inverse associations were observed between FI and either general cognition or executive function among children (n = 3) and adults (n = 12). All studies considered confounding variables; however, given that all were observational, no causality can be inferred from the findings. These findings indicate that FI is related to lower cognitive function across the life course. Research should explore how changes in food security status impacts cognitive function and brain structure to develop optimal FI interventions and improve cognitive health.