Exploring Diet Quality, Food Insecurity, and Health Status among Utah Residents

A lower-quality diet is a significant contributor to preventable mortality worldwide. This study investigated the intricate relationships between diet quality, food insecurity, and health status among residents in Utah. Using a cross-sectional survey design with a sample size of 1,522 participants,...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Palak Gupta, Lendel Narine
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Mississippi State University 2024-12-01
Series:Journal of Human Sciences and Extension
Subjects:
Online Access:https://scholarsjunction.msstate.edu/jhse/vol12/iss3/11/
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1832592106035609600
author Palak Gupta
Lendel Narine
author_facet Palak Gupta
Lendel Narine
author_sort Palak Gupta
collection DOAJ
description A lower-quality diet is a significant contributor to preventable mortality worldwide. This study investigated the intricate relationships between diet quality, food insecurity, and health status among residents in Utah. Using a cross-sectional survey design with a sample size of 1,522 participants, data were collected through an online survey focusing on household characteristics, diet quality, health status, and food security. The primary exposure, household food insecurity, was assessed using a validated 6-item scale, while diet quality was measured through a modified Rapid Eating Assessment for Participants– Shortened Version (REAP-S). The findings revealed an association between very low food security and poor diet quality, particularly for individuals with reduced fruit and vegetable intake. Our study also revealed associations between poor diet quality, barriers to accessing healthy foods, and poor health status. Education emerges as a crucial determinant, showing higher educational attainment positively linked to improved diet quality. The findings underscore the need for targeted interventions, community-based educational programs, policy advocacy, and collaborative approaches to address these complex and interconnected issues. The present study contributes valuable insights to public health initiatives aiming to enhance overall health outcomes by addressing the multifaceted challenges of poor diet quality, food insecurity, and barriers to healthy eating.
format Article
id doaj-art-2ef44feb89ab4caeb3c63a551e3b86fa
institution Kabale University
issn 2325-5226
language English
publishDate 2024-12-01
publisher Mississippi State University
record_format Article
series Journal of Human Sciences and Extension
spelling doaj-art-2ef44feb89ab4caeb3c63a551e3b86fa2025-01-21T15:43:59ZengMississippi State UniversityJournal of Human Sciences and Extension2325-52262024-12-01123https://doi.org/10.55533/2325-5226.1509Exploring Diet Quality, Food Insecurity, and Health Status among Utah ResidentsPalak Gupta0Lendel Narine1Utah State University Utah State University A lower-quality diet is a significant contributor to preventable mortality worldwide. This study investigated the intricate relationships between diet quality, food insecurity, and health status among residents in Utah. Using a cross-sectional survey design with a sample size of 1,522 participants, data were collected through an online survey focusing on household characteristics, diet quality, health status, and food security. The primary exposure, household food insecurity, was assessed using a validated 6-item scale, while diet quality was measured through a modified Rapid Eating Assessment for Participants– Shortened Version (REAP-S). The findings revealed an association between very low food security and poor diet quality, particularly for individuals with reduced fruit and vegetable intake. Our study also revealed associations between poor diet quality, barriers to accessing healthy foods, and poor health status. Education emerges as a crucial determinant, showing higher educational attainment positively linked to improved diet quality. The findings underscore the need for targeted interventions, community-based educational programs, policy advocacy, and collaborative approaches to address these complex and interconnected issues. The present study contributes valuable insights to public health initiatives aiming to enhance overall health outcomes by addressing the multifaceted challenges of poor diet quality, food insecurity, and barriers to healthy eating.https://scholarsjunction.msstate.edu/jhse/vol12/iss3/11/food insecuritydiet qualityreap-sutahhunger
spellingShingle Palak Gupta
Lendel Narine
Exploring Diet Quality, Food Insecurity, and Health Status among Utah Residents
Journal of Human Sciences and Extension
food insecurity
diet quality
reap-s
utah
hunger
title Exploring Diet Quality, Food Insecurity, and Health Status among Utah Residents
title_full Exploring Diet Quality, Food Insecurity, and Health Status among Utah Residents
title_fullStr Exploring Diet Quality, Food Insecurity, and Health Status among Utah Residents
title_full_unstemmed Exploring Diet Quality, Food Insecurity, and Health Status among Utah Residents
title_short Exploring Diet Quality, Food Insecurity, and Health Status among Utah Residents
title_sort exploring diet quality food insecurity and health status among utah residents
topic food insecurity
diet quality
reap-s
utah
hunger
url https://scholarsjunction.msstate.edu/jhse/vol12/iss3/11/
work_keys_str_mv AT palakgupta exploringdietqualityfoodinsecurityandhealthstatusamongutahresidents
AT lendelnarine exploringdietqualityfoodinsecurityandhealthstatusamongutahresidents