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Eating Frequency and Chrononutrition (Poster Session)

(P05-001-24) The Association Between Food Insecurity, Diet Quality, and Self-Esteem

Sunday, June 30, 2024
12:45 PM – 1:45 PM CT
Location: Poster Board 246
Disclosure(s):
Ushima Chowdhury: No relevant financial relationship(s) with ineligible companies to disclose.
Alexis Valerius, BA Psychology: No relevant financial relationship(s) with ineligible companies to disclose.
Sarah R. Livshits, B.S.: No relevant financial relationship(s) with ineligible companies to disclose.


Objectives: Food insecurity (FI), the lack of access to reliable and nutritionally adequate food, is a growing challenge many Americans are facing. The heightened prevalence of FI strongly contributes to the pressing severity of this issue. In particular, FI is highly prevalent in young adults. The transition to adulthood comes with adversity, and the absence of access to nutritiously dense foods may be detrimental to self-esteem. However, limited research addresses the relationship between food insecurity, diet quality, and self-esteem. To address this gap in the literature, the current study aims to assess the impact of FI and diet quality on self-esteem. It is hypothesized that those who are food insecure will report lower scores of self-esteem, potentially due to stress-induced nutritional deficiencies and changes in brain chemistry.

Methods: To assess the relationship between FI, diet quality, and self-esteem, an anonymous online survey targeting individuals 18 and older was distributed via social media platforms. The survey included demographic questions and three validated scales, the Food Insecurity Experience Scale, the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, and the Food-Mood Questionnaire. Data were analyzed using Pearson’s Correlation Coefficient in IBM SPSS Version 28.0.

Results: A total of 561 participants completed the survey. The results reveal a negative correlation between not having enough food to eat and feeling satisfied with oneself (-0.117, p < 0.01), and a positive association between running out of food and feeling like a failure (0.157, p < 0.01). Negative correlations between not feeling proud of oneself and consuming fruits (-0.098, p < 0.05) and vegetables (-0.096, p < 0.05) were also found.

Conclusions: In conclusion, these preliminary results suggest that a nutrient-dense diet may have an effect on the self-esteem of young adults, potentially through modulation of brain chemistry.

Funding Sources: No funding was provided to conduct this study.