Food, Food Insecurity and Mental Health: Overview, Index and Resource Guide

Prepared by the Hunter College NYC Food Policy Center 

What is Food Insecurity?

The USDA states that food security—access by all people at all times to enough food for an active, healthy life—is one of several conditions necessary for a population to be healthy and well nourished.  (Household Food Security in the United States in 2013 2014) In contrast, food insecurity is “the limited or uncertain availability of nutritionally adequate, safe foods, or the inability to acquire personally acceptable food in socially acceptable ways.” (Understanding Hunger And Developing Indicators To Assess It In Women And Children 1992). Low food security includes “reduced quality, variety, or desirability of diet [, with] little or no indication of reduced food intake,” while very low food security includes “multiple indications of disrupted eating patterns and reduced food intake.” (Food Security In The U.S.: Overview 2018) 

What is Mental Health?

Defined by the Center for Disease Control, mental health is an important part of overall health and well-being. Mental health includes our emotional, psychological, and social well-being. It affects how we think, feel, and act. It also helps determine how we handle stress, relate to others, and make healthy choices. Mental health is important at every stage of life, from childhood and adolescence through adulthood. (Learn About Mental Health 2018)

Facts and Data:

• This year, an estimated 54 million Americans, including 18 million American children, are now food insecure. (The Impact of the Coronavirus on Food Insecurity in 2020 2020) 
• Hunger Free America found that 37 percent of parents nationwide were cutting the size of meals or skipping meals for their children in the spring of 2020 because they did not have enough money for food. That means that the current child hunger rate is more than two and a half times the 2019 rate found by USDA. (Pandemic Hunger Crisis 2020)
• New federal data analyzed by Northwestern University also found that overall food insecurity has doubled, and child food insecurity has tripled, during the pandemic. Across the nation, seven percent of households reported receiving free food during the prior week. (Food Insecurity Remains Elevated Across All 50 States 2020)
• A study published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine determined that food insecurity was associated with poorer mental health and specific psychosocial stressors across global regions (149 countries), independent of individuals’ socioeconomic status. (Food Insecurity And Mental Health Status: A Global Analysis Of 149 Countries 2017)
• The USDA has found that households headed by single women had the highest rates of food insecurity (28.7 percent). USDA also found that adults with disabilities, especially mental health disabilities, have especially high rates of hunger. One in three U.S. households that included an adult who was unable to work due to disability was food insecure in 2009-2010 and an estimated 38 percent of households with the most severe level of hunger included an adult with a disability. (Pandemic Hunger Crisis 2020)
• Addressing mental health issues such as depression is a potentially important factor in reducing the experience of food insecurity. Directionality of this relationship has not yet been determined (mental health issues may be resultant to the experience of food insecurity, or bidirectional). Holistic approaches to addressing poverty and food insecurity will have the highest likelihood of positively impacting children’s lives and protecting them from food insecurity while enhancing their opportunities to thrive. (A Cross-sectional Exploration Of Food Security, Depression, And Chaos In Low-income Households With Children 2015)
• Economic hardship occurs among increasingly large segments of the national population, undermining children’s health and well-being and leading to poor adult health, social disparities, and limited human capital…without adequate economic resources, families must make difficult choices among basic needs, such as food, housing, energy, and health care, often resulting in frustration and emotional distress. Emotional distress, frequently manifested as depressive symptoms, increases the number of stressors, interferes with caregiving practices, and adversely affects children’s well-being. (WIC Participation Protects Children From Health Risks Associated With Dual Stressors Of Household Food Insecurity And Caregiver Depressive Symptoms 2012)
• Consistent with the family stress and cumulative stress models, a relationship between household food insecurity and caregiver with depressive symptoms can undermine children’s well-being. There may be a direct pathway through the lack of adequate food quality and quantity, an indirect pathway through caregivers’ depression or anxiety about low food availability, or a pathway in which household food security is threatened by caregiver depression. Families with both household food insecurity and caregiver with depressive symptoms experience dual stressors, potentially increasing the risk to their young children’s well-being. It is also possible that families of children in poor health may experience economic strain and anxiety, leading to household food insecurity and caregiver depressive symptoms. (WIC Participation Protects Children From Health Risks Associated With Dual Stressors Of Household Food Insecurity And Caregiver Depressive Symptoms 2012)

Table of Contents

• Search Engines and Search Term
• Organizations and Helpful Resources
• Resource Materials and Presentations
• General Academic Research Articles on Food Insecurity and Mental Health
• Children, Food Insecurity and Mental Health
• College Students, Food Insecurity and Mental Health
• Adults, Food Insecurity and Mental Health
• Women, Food Insecurity, and Mental Health
• Countries Outside of the U.S., Food Insecurity, and Mental Health
• COVID-19, Food Insecurity, Mental Health
• Disabilities, Food Insecurity, and Mental Health
• Podcasts on Food Insecurity and Mental Health
• News Articles on Food Insecurity and Mental Health

Search Engines and Search Terms: 

Searched on Google, Google Scholar, and PubMed with search terms:

• Mental health + food insecurity
• Mental health + hunger
• Childhood mental health + hunger
• Childhood mental health + food insecurity
• Disabilities + food insecurity
• Depression + hunger
• Depression + food insecurity
• Anxiety + hunger
• Anxiety + food insecurity

Organizations and Helpful Resources

• Feeding America

• Food for the Brain

• Food Research and Action Center

• Hunger Action Network

• Hunger Free America

• No Kid Hungry

• Supplemental and Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
• Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC)

Resource Materials and Presentations

• Pandemic Hunger Crisis: Pandemic Soars While Charities Struggle (Hunger Free America 2020)
• Having A Disability Increases The Likelihood Of Food Insecurity Despite Federal Programs To Prevent This Hardship (Syracuse University 2019)
• Food Security In The U.S.: Overview (USDA U.S. Economic Research Service 2018)
• What’s Food Got To Do With It? Food Insecurity And Mental Health (Community Technical Assistance Center of New York 2017)
• Food Insecurity And Mental Health: A Guide (Community Technical Assistance Center of New York 2017)
• Understanding The Connections: Food Insecurity And Obesity (Food Research and Action Center 2015)
• Current And Prospective Scope Of Hunger And Food Security In America: A Review Of Current Research (RTI International 2014)
• Food Insecurity Among Households With Working-Age Adults With Disabilities (USDA 2013)

General Academic Research Articles on Food Insecurity and Mental Health

• Does Hunger Contribute To Socioeconomic Gradients In Behavior? Nettle, D. (2017). Frontier Psychology, 8, 348. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2017.00358
• Food Insecurity and Emotional Health in the USA: A Systematic Narrative Review of Longitudinal Research. Bruening, M., Dinour, L., & Chavez, J. (2017). Public Health Nutrition, 20(17), 3200-3208. doi: 10.1017/S1368980017002221
• Food Insecurity And Mental Illness: Disproportionate Impacts In The Context Of Perceived Stress And Social  Martin, M.S., Maddocks, E., Chen, Y., Gilman, S.E., Colman, I., (2016). Public Health, 132 (2016). 86-89. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.135881
• The Role Of Food Insecurity In Developmental Psychopathology. Althoff, R., Ametti, M, Bertmann, F. (2016). Preventive Medicine. 92, 106–109. doi: 10.1016/j.ypmed.2016.08.012
• Household Food Insecurity Is Positively Associated With Depression Among Low-Income Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Participants And Income-Eligible Nonparticipants. Leung, CW. Epel, ES. Willett, WC. Rimm, EB. Laraia, BA. (2015).  J Nutr. 145(3), 622-7. doi: 10.3945/jn.114.199414 
• Food Insecurity And Health Outcomes Gundersen, C. Ziliak, JP. (2015). Health Affairs. 34(11). doi: 10.1377/hlthaff.2015.0645
• Seasonal Changes In Household Food Insecurity And Symptoms Of Anxiety And Depression. Hadley, C. and Patil, C.L. (2008) American Journal Of Physical Anthropology. 135 (2)  225-232. doi: 10.1002/ajpa.20724

Children, Food Insecurity and Mental Health

• Understanding The Psychological Distress Of Food Insecurity: A Qualitative Study Of Children’s Experiences And Related Coping Strategies. Leung, C. W., Stewart, A. L., Portela-Parra, E. T., Adler, N. E., Laraia, B. A., & Epel, E. S. (2020). Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, 120(3), 395–403. doi: 10.1016/j.jand.2019.10.012
• Childhood Exposure To Hunger: Associations With Health Outcomes In Later Life And Epigenetic Markers. Perna, L, Zhang, Y.  Wild,B. Kliegel, M. Ihle, A. Schöttker, B. Mons, U., & Brenner, H. (2020). Future Medicine. doi:10.2217/epi-2019-0333
• Adolescent Food Insecurity And Risky Behaviors And Mental Health During The Transition To Adulthood. Heflin, C. Kukla-Acevedo, S. Darolia, R. (2019) Children and Youth Services Review. 105,104416. doi: 10.1016/j.childyouth.2019.104416
• Food Insecurity And Child Health. Thomas, MC. Miller, DP. Morrissey, TW. (2019) Pediatrics. 144 (4). doi: 10.1542/peds.2019-0397
• Parent And Child Reports Of Food Insecurity And Mental Health: Divergent Perspectives. Bernard, R., Hammarlund, R., Bouquet, M., Ojewole, T., Kirby, D., Grizzaffi, J., & McMahon, P. (2018). The Ochsner Journal, 18(4), 318–325. doi: 10.31486/toj.18.0037
• Association Of Food Insecurity With Children’s Behavioral, Emotional, And Academic Outcomes: A Systematic Review. 
• Shankar, P.  Chung, R.; Frank, DA. (2018) Journal of Developmental & Behavioral Pediatrics. 38 (2) 135-150(16) doi: 10.1097/DBP.0000000000000383
• Childhood Hunger And Thoughts Of Death Or Suicide In Older Adults. Stickley, A. Koyanagi, A. Inoue, Y. Leinsalu, M. (2018) The American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry. 26 (10) 1070-1078. doi: 10.1016/j.jagp.2018.06.005
• Food Insecurity And Perceived Anxiety Among Adolescents: An Analysis Of Data From The 2009–2010 National Health And Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). Maynard, MS. Perlman, C. Kirkpatrick, SI. (2019) Journal of Hunger & Environmental Nutrition. 14 (3) 339-351. doi: 10.1080/19320248.2017.1393363
• Association Of Food Insecurity With Children’s Behavioral, Emotional, And Academic Outcomes: A Systematic Review. Shankar, P. Chung, R. Frank, DA. (2017) Journal of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics. 38(2),135-150. doi: 10.1097/DBP.0000000000000383
• Psychological Distress Mediates The Association Between Food Insecurity And Suboptimal Sleep Quality In Latinos With Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus. Bermúdez-Millán, A. Pérez-Escamilla, R. Segura-Pérez, S. Damio, G. Chhabra, J. Osborn, CY. Wagner, J. (2016) The Journal of Nutrition. 146(10) 2051-2057. doi: 10.3945/jn.116.231365
• Severity Of Household Food Insecurity Is Positively Associated With Mental Disorders Among Children And Adolescents In The United States. Burke, MP. Martini, LH. Çayır, E. Hartline-Grafton, HL. Meade, RL. (2016) The Journal of Nutrition. 146(10) 2019–2026. doi: 10.3945/jn.116.232298
• Household Food Insecurity and Mental Health Problems Among Adolescents: What Do Parents Report? Poole-Di Salvo, E. Silver, EJ. Stein, REK. (2016) Academic Pediatrics. 16 (1) 90-96. doi: 10.1016/j.acap.2015.08.005
• The Relationship Between Hunger And Mental Health Outcomes Among School-going Ecuadorian Adolescents. Romo, M.L. Abril-Ulloa, V. Kelvin, E.A. (2016) Social Psychiatry And Psychiatric Epidemiology. 51, 827–837. doi: 10.1007/s00127-016-1204-9
• A Cross-sectional Exploration Of Food Security, Depression, And Chaos In Low-income Households With Children. Pinard, CA. Calloway, EE. Fricke, HE. Yaroch, AL. (2015) Journal of Applied Research on Children: Informing Policy for Children at Risk. 6(2)6. eric: EJ1188429
• Depression And Suicide Ideation In Late Adolescence And Early Adulthood Are An Outcome Of Child Hunger. McIntyre, L. Williams, JVA. Lavorato, DH. Patten, S. (2013) Journal of Affective Disorders. 150(1,5) 123-129. doi: 10.1016/j.jad.2012.11.029
• Food Insecurity And The Behavioral And Intellectual Development Of Children: A Review Of The Evidence. Perez-Escamilla, R. Pinheiro de Toledo Vianna, R. (2012) Journal of Applied Research on Children. 3(1). eric: EJ1189045
• Food Insecurity And Mental Disorders In A National Sample Of U.S. Adolescents. McLaughlin, KA. Green, JG. Alegría, M. Jane Costello, E. Gruber, MJ. Sampson, NA. Kessler, RC. (2012) Journal Of The American Academy Of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry. 51(12) 1293-303. doi: 10.1016/j.jaac.2012.09.009. 
• Food Insecurity And Children’s Mental Health: A Prospective Birth Cohort Study. Melchior, M. Chastang, JF. Falissard, B. Galéra, C. Tremblay, RE. Côté, SM., et al. (2012) PLoS One. 7(12). doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0052615
• WIC Participation Protects Children From Health Risks Associated With Dual Stressors Of Household Food Insecurity And Caregiver Depressive Symptoms. Black, MM. Quigg, AM. Cook, J. Casey, PH. Cutts, DB. Chilton, M. Meyers, A. Ettinger de Cuba, S. Heeren, T. Coleman, S. Rose-Jacobs, R. Frank, DA. (2012) National Library of Medicine. 166(5) 444-51. doi: 10.1001/archpediatrics.2012.1
• Does Food Insecurity Affect Parental Characteristics And Child Behavior? Testing Mediation Effects. Huang, J. Oshima, KMM. Kim, Y. (2010) Washington University. 84 (3). doi: 10.1086/655821
• Context And Sequelae Of Food Insecurity In Children’s Development. Belsky, DW. Moffitt, TE. Arseneault, L. Melchior, M. Caspi, A. (2010). American Journal Of Epidemiology. 172 (7) 809–818. doi: 10.1093/aje/kwq201
• Maternal Mental Health And The Persistence Of Food Insecurity In Poor Rural Families. Lent, MD. Petrovic, L.E. Swanson, JA. Olson, CM. (2009). Journal of Health Care for the Poor and Underserved 20(3), 645-661. doi:10.1353/hpu.0.0182
• Food Insecurity And Maternal Depression In Rural, Low-Income Families: A Longitudinal Investigation. Huddleston-Casas, C. Charnigo, R. Simmons, LA. (2009) Public Health Nutrition. 12(8)1133-40. doi: 10.1017/S1368980008003650
• Mental Health Context Of Food Insecurity: A Representative Cohort Of Families With Young Children. Melchior, M. Caspi, A. Howard, LM. Ambler, AP. Bolton, H. Mountain, N.  Moffitt, TE. (2009) Pediatrics. 124 (4) e564-e572. doi: 10.1542/peds.2009-0583
• Food Security During Infancy: Implications For Attachment And Mental Proficiency In Toddlerhood. Zaslow, M. Bronte-Tinkew, J. Capps, R. Horowitz, A. Moore, K. Weinstein, D. (2008). Maternal and Child Health Journal. 13. 66-80. doi: 10.1007/s10995-008-0329-1
• Food Insecurity And The Risks Of Depression And Anxiety In Mothers And Behavior Problems In Their Preschool-aged Children. Whitaker, RC. Phillips, SM. Orzol, SM. (2006) Pediatrics. 118 (3) e859-e868. doi: 10.1542/peds.2006-0239
• Food Insecurity Affects School Children’s Academic Performance, Weight Gain, And Social Skills. Jyoti, DF. Frongillo, EA. Jones, SJJ. (2005) The Journal of Nutrition, 135(12) 2831–2839. doi: 10.1093/jn/135.12.2831
• Food Hardship And Child Behavior Problems Among Low‐income Children. Slack, KSS. Yoo, J. (2005) Social Services Review. 79(3). doi: 10.1086/430894
• Hunger: Its Impact On Children’s Health And Mental Health.
• Weinreb, L. Wehler, C. Perloff, J. Scott, R. Hosmer, D. Sagor, L. Gundersen, C. (2002) Pediatrics. 110(4)41. doi: 10.1542/peds.110.4.e41
• Food Insufficiency And American School-Aged Children’s Cognitive, Academic, And Psychosocial. Alaimo, K. Olson, C. Frongillo, EA Jr. (2001) Pediatrics. 108(1)44-53. pmid: 11433053
• Hunger In Children In The United States: Potential Behavioral And Emotional Correlates. Kleinman, RE.  Murphy, JMM. Little, M. Pagano, M. Wehler, CA. Regal, K. Jellinek, MS. (1998) Pediatrics. 101 (1) e3. doi: 10.1542/peds.101.1.e3
• Relationship Between Hunger And Psychosocial Functioning In Low-Income American Children. Murphy, JM. Wehler, CA. Pagano, ME. Little, M. Kleinman, RE. Jellinek, MS. (1998). J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry 37(2)163-70. doi: 10.1097/00004583-199802000-00008
• Understanding Hunger And Developing Indicators To Assess It In Women And Children. Radimer, KL. Olson, CM. Greene, JC. Campbell, CC. Habicht, JP. (1992). Journal of Nutrition Education. 24(1-1)36S-44S. doi: 10.1016/S0022-3182(12)80137-3

College Students, Food Insecurity and Mental Health

• “It’s A Feeling That One Is Not Worth Food”: A Qualitative Study Exploring The Psychosocial Experience And Academic Consequences Of Food Insecurity Among College Students. Meza, A. Altman, E. Martinez, S. Leung, C. W. (2019). Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, 119(10), 1713–1721.e1. doi:10.1016/j.jand.2018.09.006
• Exploring The Relationship Between Food Insecurity And Mental Health In An Undergraduate Student Population. Diamond, KK. Stebleton, MJ. delMas, RC. (2020) Journal of Student Affairs Research and Practice, 57(5), 546-560, doi: 10.1080/19496591.2019.1679158
• Food Insecurity, Psychosocial Health And Academic Performance Among College And University Students In Georgia, USA. Raskind, I. G. Haardörfer, R. Berg, CJ. (2019). Public Health Nutrition, 22(3)476–485. doi: 10.1017/S1368980018003439
• “Everybody I Know Is Always Hungry…but Nobody Asks Why”: University Students, Food Insecurity And Mental Health. Hattangadi, N. Vogel, E. Carroll, L.J. Côté, P. (2019). Sustainability. 11(6)1571. doi: 10.3390/su11061571
• Hungry To Learn: The Prevalence And Effects Of Food Insecurity On Health Behaviors And Outcomes Over Time Among A Diverse Sample Of University Freshmen. Bruening, M. van Woerden, I. Todd, M. Laska, MN. (2018). The International Journal Of Behavioral Nutrition And Physical Activity, 15(1), 9. doi:10.1186/s12966-018-0647-7
• No Food For Thought: Food Insecurity Is Related To Poor Mental Health And Lower Academic Performance Among Students In California’s Public University System (Journal of Health Psychology 2018) 
• No food for thought: Food insecurity is related to poor mental health and lower academic performance among students in California’s public university system. Martinez, SM. Frongillo, EA, Leung, C. Ritchie, L. (2020) Journal of Health Psychology. 25(12)1930-1939. doi: 10.1177/1359105318783028

Adults, Food Insecurity and Mental Health

• Impact Of Food Insecurity With Hunger On Mental Distress Among Community-dwelling Older Adults. Gyasi, RM. Obeng, B. Yeboah, JY. (2020) PLOS ONE. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0229840
• Food Insecurity, Mental Health, And Use Of Mental Health Services Among Nonelderly Adults In The United States. Afulani, PA. Coleman-Jensen, A. Herman, D. (2020) Journal of Hunger & Environmental Nutrition. 15(1)29-50, doi: 10.1080/19320248.2018.1537868
• Food Insecurity Is Associated With Poorer Mental Health and Sleep Outcomes in Young Adults. Nagata, JM. Palar, K. Gooding, HC. Garber, AK. Whittle, HJ. Bibbins-Domingo, K. Weiser, SD. (2019). Journal of Adolescent Health. 65(6)805-811. doi: 10.1016/j.jadohealth.2019.08.010
• Food Insecurity And Mental Health Problems Among A Community Sample Of Young Adults. Pryor, L. Lioret, S. van der Waerden, J. et al. (2016). Social Psychiatry And Psychiatric Epidemiology. 51, 1073–1081. doi: 10.1007/s00127-016-1249-9
• Food Security Among Young Adults With Disabilities In The United States: Findings From The National Health Interview Survey. Brucker, D. (2016). Disability and Health Journal. 9(2) 298-305. doi: 10.1016/j.dhjo.2015.10.003
• Physical And Mental Health Outcomes Associated With Prior Food Insecurity Among Young Adults. Darling, KE. Fahrenkamp, AJ, Wilson, SM. D’Auria, AL. Sato, AF. (2015). Journal Of Health Psychology. 22(5)572-581. doi: 10.1177/1359105315609087
• Relationships Between Housing And Food Insecurity, Frequent Mental Distress, And Insufficient Sleep Among Adults In 12 Us States, 2009.  Liu, Y. Njai, RS. Greenlund, KJ. Chapman, DP. Croft, JB. (2014). Preventing Chronic Disease. 11(37). doi: 10.5888/pcd11.130334.
• Chronic Physical And Mental Health Conditions Among Adults May Increase Vulnerability To Household Food Insecurity. Tarasuk, V. Mitchell, A. McLaren, L.  McIntyre, L. (2013) The Journal of Nutrition, 143(11)1785–1793. doi:10.3945/jn.113.178483
• Household Food Insecurity Is Associated With Adult Health Status. Stuff, JE. Casey, PH.Szeto, KL. Gossett, JM. Robbins, JM. Simpson, PM. Connell, C. Bogle, ML. (2004) The Journal of Nutrition. 134(9)2330–2335. doi:10.1093/jn/134.9.2330

Women, Food Insecurity, and Mental Health

• Food Insecurity And The Risk Of Obesity, Depression, And Self-rated Health In Women. Willis, SK. Simonsen, SE. Hemmert, RB. Baayd, J. Digre, KB. Zick, CD. (2020). Women’s Health Reports. 308-317. doi: 10.1089/whr.2020.0049
• Maternal Food Insecurity Is Associated With Postpartum Mental Disorders in Ontario, Canada. Tarasuk, V. Gundersen, C. Wang, X. Roth, DE. Urquia, ML. (2020) The Journal of Nutrition. 150(11)3033–3040. doi: 10.1093/jn/nxaa240
• Persistent Food Insecurity Is Associated With Adverse Mental Health Among Women Living With Or At Risk Of HIV In The United States. Tuthill, EL. Sheira, LA.  Palar, K. Frongillo, EA. Wilson, TA. Adedimeji, A. Merenstein, D. Cohen, MH. Wentz, EL. Adimora, AA. Ofotokun, I. Metsch, L. Kushel, M. Turan, JM. Konkle-Parker, D. Tien, PC. Weiser, SD. (2019). The Journal of Nutrition. 149(2)240–248. doi: 10.1093/jn/nxy203
• Food Insecurity And Mental Health Among Females In High-income Countries. Maynard, M. Andrade, L. Packull-McCormick, S. Perlman, C.M. Leos-Toro, C. Kirkpatrick, S.I. (2018) Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health. 15(7)1424. doi: 10.3390/ijerph15071424
• Food Insecurity Is Associated With Maternal Depression And Child Pervasive Developmental Symptoms In Low-income Latino Households. Nagata, JM. Gomberg, S. Hagan, MJ. Heyman, MB. Wojcicki, JM. (2019) Journal of Hunger & Environmental Nutrition.14(4)526-539, doi: 10.1080/19320248.2018.1434101
• Food Insecurity And Depressive Symptoms: Comparison Of Drug Using And Nondrug-using Women At Risk For HIV. Davey-Rothwell, M. A., Flamm, L. J., Kassa, H. T., Latkin, C. A. (2014). Journal of community psychology, 42(4),469–478. doi: 10.1002/jcop.21622
• Hunger Of The Body And Hunger Of The Mind: African American Women’s Perceptions Of Food Insecurity, Health And Violence. Chilton, M. Booth, S. (2007) Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior. 39(3)116-125. doi: 10.1016/j.jneb.2006.11.005
• Psychosocial Factors And Socioeconomic Indicators Are Associated With Household Food Insecurity Among Pregnant Women. Laraia, BA. Siega-Riz, AM. Gundersen, C. Dole, N. (2005) Journal of Nutrition. 136(1)177-82. doi: 10.1093/jn/136.1.177
• Food Insufficiency And Women’s Mental Health: Findings From A 3-year Panel Of Welfare Recipients. Heflin, CM. Siefert, K. Williams, DR. (2005). Social Science & Medicine. 61(9)1971-1982. doi: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2005.04.014
• Risk And Protective Factors For Adult And Child Hunger Among Low-income Housed And Homeless, Female-headed Families. Wehler, C. Weinreb, L. F. Huntington, N. Scott, R. Hosmer, D. Fletcher, K. Goldberg, R. Gundersen, C. (2004). American Journal of Public Health, 94(1), 109–115. doi: 10.2105/ajph.94.1.109

Countries Outside of the U.S., Food Insecurity, and Mental Health

• Relative Food Insecurity, Mental Health And Wellbeing In 160 Countries. Elgar, FJ. Pickett, W. Pförtner, T. Gariépy, G. Gordon, D. Georgiades, K.  Davison, C. Hammami, N. MacNeil, AH. Azevedo Da Silva, M. Melgar-Quiñonez, HR. (2020) Social Science & Medicine. 113556. doi:10.1016/j.socscimed.2020.113556
• Household Food Insecurity Is Associated With Depressive Symptoms: Results From A Mexican Population-based Survey. Kolovos, S. Zavala, G.A. Leijen, A.S. et al. (2020) Food Security. 12,407–416. doi: 10.1007/s12571-020-01014-1
• Hunger in Vulnerable Families in Southeastern Europe: Associations With Mental Health and Violence. Jansen, E. Lachman, JM. Heinrichs, N. Hutchings, J. Baban, A. Foran, HM. (2020). Frontiers in Public Health. 8,115. doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2020.00115
• The Relation Between Food Insecurity And Mental Health Care Service Utilization In Ontario. Tarasuk, V. Cheng, J. Gundersen, C. de Oliveira, C. Kurdyak, P. (2018) The Canadian Journal of Psychiatry. 63(8)557-569. doi: 10.1177/0706743717752879
• Food Insecurity And Mental Health Status: A Global Analysis Of 149 Countries. Jones, A. (2017). American Journal of Preventive Medicine. 53(2)264-273. doi: 10.1016/j.amepre.2017.04.008
• Association Of Household Food Insecurity With The Mental And Physical Health Of Low-income Urban Ecuadorian Women With Children. Weigel, MM. Armijos, RX. Racines, M. Cevallos,W. Castro, NP. (2016). Journal of Environmental and Public Health. 2016. doi: 10.1155/2016/5256084
• The Effect Of Food Insecurity On Mental Health: Panel Evidence From Rural Zambia. Cole, SM. Tembo, G. (2011) Science Direct. 73(7)1071-1079. doi: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2011.07.012
• Food Insecurity And Mental Health: Surprising Trends Among Community Health Volunteers In Addis Ababa, Ethiopia During The 2008 Food Crisis. Maes, KC. Hadley, C. Tesfaye, F. Shifferaw, S. (2010). Social Science and Medicine. 70(9)1450-1457. doi: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2010.01.018
• Moving Beyond Hunger And Nutrition: A Systematic Review Of The Evidence Linking Food Insecurity And Mental Health In Developing Countries. Weaver, LJ. Hadley, C. (2009) Ecology of Food and Nutrition. 48(4)263-284. doi: 10.1080/03670240903001167

COVID-19, Food Insecurity, Mental Health

• Food Insecurity And Covid-19: Disparities In Early Effects For Us Adults. Wolfson, JA. Leung, CW. (2020). Nutrients, 12(6)1648. doi: 10.3390/nu12061648

Disabilities, Food Insecurity, and Mental Health

• Household Food Insecurity: Comparison Between Families With And Without Members With Disabilities. 
• Park, JE. Kim, SY. Kim, SH. Jeoung, EJ. Park, JH. (2020). International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 17(17)6149. doi: 20.3390/ijerph17176149
• The Relationship Between Food Insecurity And Symptoms Of Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder In Children: A Summary Of The Literature. Lu, S. Perez, L. Leslein, A. Hatsu, I. (2019). Nutrients. 11(3)659. doi: 10.3390/nu11030659

Podcasts on Food Insecurity and Mental Health

• Coronavirus And Food Access: How The Pandemic Impacts Food Insecurity (University of Michigan 2020)
• Understanding Who’s At Risk For Food Insecurity (US Dept of Veteran Affairs 2020)
• Putting Food Insecurity On The Table (Homeless Hub Podcast [Ep 1] 2020)
• Mental Health, Food Insecurity & Agriculture Economy (Iowa Press Special: Coronavirus 2020)
• Americans Are Struggling With The Mental Health And Economic Impact Of COVID-19 (The Commonwealth Fund: The Dose 2020)
• Maureen Black On Lasting Impact Of Food Insecurity On Children (Leading Voices in Food 2019)

News Articles on Food Insecurity and Mental Health

• The Link Between Food Insecurity And Mental Health (Psychology Today 2020) 
• Food Insecurity Remains Elevated Across All 50 States (Northwestern Institute for Policy Research 2020)
• Health, Well-Being And Food Security Of Families Deteriorating Under Covid-19 Stress (Vanderbilt 2020)
• Food Security And Mental Health Under The Covid-19 Syndemic (Humanitarian Practice Network 2020) 
• “Food Won’t Solve Hunger. Income Will.” (Food Tank 2019)
• What Children Understand About Food Insecurity (Civil Eats 2018)

• In Striking Nationwide Trend, Hospitals Take On Hunger To Improve Overall Health (Civil Eats 2018)

• Food Insecurity Can Affect Your Mental Health (Science Daily 2017)

• Young People With Disabilities Vulnerable To Food Insecurity (Center on Budget and Policy Priorities 2016)
• The Long Shadow Of Childhood Hunger (Civil Eats 2015)
• The Impact Of Food Insecurity On Women’s Mental Health. (Journal of the Association for Research on Mothering)