Cross-sectional association of food insecurity with loneliness in older adults: The role of sex, age, and psychosomatic factors
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Cross-sectional association of food insecurity with loneliness in older adults: The role of sex, age, and psychosomatic factors. / Gyasi, Razak M; Aikins, Emelia; Hajek, André; Opoku-Ware, Jones; Osei, Benjamin Appiah; Kwabena-Adade, Joana; Jacob, Louis; Rahmati, Masoud; Dakurah, George; Peltzer, Karl.
In: J NUTR HEALTH AGING, Vol. 28, No. 9, 09.2024, p. 100328.Research output: SCORING: Contribution to journal › SCORING: Journal article › Research › peer-review
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TY - JOUR
T1 - Cross-sectional association of food insecurity with loneliness in older adults: The role of sex, age, and psychosomatic factors
AU - Gyasi, Razak M
AU - Aikins, Emelia
AU - Hajek, André
AU - Opoku-Ware, Jones
AU - Osei, Benjamin Appiah
AU - Kwabena-Adade, Joana
AU - Jacob, Louis
AU - Rahmati, Masoud
AU - Dakurah, George
AU - Peltzer, Karl
N1 - Copyright © 2024 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Masson SAS.. All rights reserved.
PY - 2024/9
Y1 - 2024/9
N2 - OBJECTIVE: Food insecurity (FI) is a critical social determinant of poor psychosocial health. While data on the specific roles of sex and age in the FI-loneliness link among older adults are limited, the underlying mechanisms are largely unknown. This study examines the age-sex-specific associations of FI with loneliness among older adults in Ghana and quantifies the extent to which psychosomatic factors mediate the association.METHODS: We analyzed cross-sectional data from the Aging, Health, Psychological, and Health-seeking Behavior Study in Ghana. The past 30-day FI was assessed using items on hunger and breakfast skipping frequency due to a lack of resources. We assessed loneliness severity with the University of California, Los Angeles 3-item Loneliness Scale. Multivariable OLS regressions and bootstrapping mediation analysis using the Hayes PROCESS macro plug-in were used to evaluate the associations.RESULTS: We included 1,201 individuals aged ≥50 years (mean = 62.9 [SD = 11.9]; women = 63.3%). The prevalence of loneliness was 17.7%. The prevalence of moderate and severe FI was 44.0% and 8.5%, respectively. In the adjusted model, greater FI was significantly associated with loneliness severity (B = .22, SE = .029, p < .001). We found significant interactive effects of FI × age (B = -.17, SE = .023, p < .01) and FI × sex (B = -.28, SE = .036, p < .001) on loneliness. Thus, the FI-loneliness link was respectively more marked among women (B = .25, SE = .035, p < .001) and ≥65 age groups (B = .34, SE = .041, p < .001) than men (B = .16, SE = .051, p < .01) and those aged 50-64 (B = .22; SE = .040, p < .001). Finally, comorbid depression/anxiety (41.07%), hopelessness (48.6%), worthlessness (42.1%), functional limitations (8.2%), and pain severity (6.4%) mediated the FI-loneliness association.CONCLUSIONS: Age- and sex-specific associations between FI and loneliness exist among older Ghanaians. Addressing FI in concert with psychosomatic problems in older adults may contribute meaningfully to reducing loneliness in later life.
AB - OBJECTIVE: Food insecurity (FI) is a critical social determinant of poor psychosocial health. While data on the specific roles of sex and age in the FI-loneliness link among older adults are limited, the underlying mechanisms are largely unknown. This study examines the age-sex-specific associations of FI with loneliness among older adults in Ghana and quantifies the extent to which psychosomatic factors mediate the association.METHODS: We analyzed cross-sectional data from the Aging, Health, Psychological, and Health-seeking Behavior Study in Ghana. The past 30-day FI was assessed using items on hunger and breakfast skipping frequency due to a lack of resources. We assessed loneliness severity with the University of California, Los Angeles 3-item Loneliness Scale. Multivariable OLS regressions and bootstrapping mediation analysis using the Hayes PROCESS macro plug-in were used to evaluate the associations.RESULTS: We included 1,201 individuals aged ≥50 years (mean = 62.9 [SD = 11.9]; women = 63.3%). The prevalence of loneliness was 17.7%. The prevalence of moderate and severe FI was 44.0% and 8.5%, respectively. In the adjusted model, greater FI was significantly associated with loneliness severity (B = .22, SE = .029, p < .001). We found significant interactive effects of FI × age (B = -.17, SE = .023, p < .01) and FI × sex (B = -.28, SE = .036, p < .001) on loneliness. Thus, the FI-loneliness link was respectively more marked among women (B = .25, SE = .035, p < .001) and ≥65 age groups (B = .34, SE = .041, p < .001) than men (B = .16, SE = .051, p < .01) and those aged 50-64 (B = .22; SE = .040, p < .001). Finally, comorbid depression/anxiety (41.07%), hopelessness (48.6%), worthlessness (42.1%), functional limitations (8.2%), and pain severity (6.4%) mediated the FI-loneliness association.CONCLUSIONS: Age- and sex-specific associations between FI and loneliness exist among older Ghanaians. Addressing FI in concert with psychosomatic problems in older adults may contribute meaningfully to reducing loneliness in later life.
U2 - 10.1016/j.jnha.2024.100328
DO - 10.1016/j.jnha.2024.100328
M3 - SCORING: Journal article
C2 - 39096770
VL - 28
SP - 100328
JO - J NUTR HEALTH AGING
JF - J NUTR HEALTH AGING
SN - 1279-7707
IS - 9
ER -