Public Health 2022 Collaborator Session
INTERCONNECTION BETWEEN FOOD INSECURITY AND MENTAL HEALTH
Date: June 14, 2022
Time: 2:20pm-3:20pm ET (11:20pm-12:20pm PT)
Food insecurity is defined as inadequate or uncertain access to food due to financial constraints. Food insecurity is a well-recognized public health problem that has significant negative impacts on health and general wellbeing. There is a particularly strong relationship between food insecurity and poor mental health. A growing body of evidence worldwide suggests that food insecurity adversely affects mental health, even after adjusting for socio-economic status (SES). Food insecurity may contribute to mental health disorders through various pathways, such as a heightened stress response that leads to anxiety and depression. Conversely, mental health issues can lead to food insecurity through changes in SES such as loss of employment.
This session will explore the interconnections between food insecurity and mental health using data from across Canada (before and during the COVID-19 pandemic). The relevance of food insecurity as a modifiable risk factor for adverse mental health outcomes will be discussed.
Learning objectives:
Describe the relationship between mental health and food insecurity using data from across Canada.
Explore data on the association between food insecurity and mental health during the pandemic.
Discuss the relevance of food insecurity status as an independent social determinant of health and as a modifiable risk factor for mental health outcomes.
Presented in collaboration with
