Household Food Insecurity and Ideal Cardiovascular Health Factors in US Adults

Food insecurity is a condition of limited food availability owing to a lack of money and resources, affecting 12.7% of US households in 2015.¹ Food insecurity has been previously associated with poor diet quality and obesity, which may have long-term implications for chronic disease.^2,3 In 2011, the American Heart Association defined ideal cardiovascular health (CVH) as adherence to 7 health factors and behaviors,⁴ ranging from physical activity to blood pressure and total cholesterol levels, which have been associated with lower risk of major chronic disease and mortality.^5,6 However, populations vulnerable to food insecurity may be less likely to achieve ideal CVH. The objective of this study was to examine the associations between household food insecurity and ideal CVH metrics in a national sample of US men and women.