| This study examined the relationship between food insufficiency and health outcomes in the third National Health and Examination Survey (NHANES III). The subjects were the food insufficient respondents and a comparison matched for income. The health outcomes in the study were the syndrome X conditions that included BMI, hypertension, and dyslipidemia, and the Global Health Assessment Scale (GHAS).; Subjects were classified as food insufficient if the family respondent reported that the family sometimes or often did not have enough food to eat. Using the multiple logistic regression procedure in SUDAAN, a proportional odds ratio (POR) was estimated to determine the association between health status and food insufficiency as well as between health status and the syndrome X conditions. A logistic regression analysis was used to estimate the association between the syndrome X conditions and food sufficiency. Because to their potential to impact health status, age, educational attainment, marital status, gender and race/ethnicity were included in the model as covariates.; Food insufficient subjects were 1.5 times more likely (CI = 1.06–2.06; p = 0.0033) to have fair/poor health status than food sufficient subjects. Overweight females were 2.6 times more likely to be food insufficient (CI = 1.24–4.74; p = 0.0026) than normal weight women. This finding did not hold true for the other syndrome X conditions or when men were included in the equation.; Overweight females who were food insufficient were 2.51 times more likely to report fair/poor health status than overweight food sufficient females (CI = 1.37–4.60; p = 0.0033). These findings were independent of age, marital status, or educational attainment.; The association between food insufficiency and overweight in women and on the overall health status should be of concern to policymakers and government agencies who provide services to this clientele. There are implications for policies that govern UDSA food supplemental programs as well as community education program. Based on these findings food insufficient subjects may be an added burden to the health care system that potentially could be reduced by focusing attention to reducing food insufficiency. |
