Food insecurity in veteran households

Findings from nationally representative data

Bibliographic Data

ID15093202
AuthorsDaniel P Miller (0000-0002-1455-2805, Bay State College, corresponding author), Mary Jo Larson (0000-0003-3417-2882, Brandeis University), Thomas Byrne (0000-0002-8809-3664, Boston University), Ellen R Devoe (0000-0003-3071-5851, Bay State College), Ellen DeVoe
Year2016
Volume19
Issue10
Pages1731-1740
Publication date2016-07-01
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenuePublic Health Nutrition (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1368-9800 • E-ISSN: 1475-2727
PublisherCambridge University Press (CUP) (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1017/s1368980015003067
PMID26553172
OpenAlexW2287036406
LanguageEN
Citations received7
References cited28

Objective The present study is the first to use nationally representative data to compare rates of food insecurity among households with veterans of the US Armed Forces and non-veteran households. Design We used data from the 2005–2013 waves of the Current Population Survey – Food Security Supplement to identify rates of food insecurity and very low food security in veteran and non-veteran households. We estimated the odds and probability of food insecurity in veteran and non-veteran households in uncontrolled and controlled models. We replicated these results after separating veteran households by their most recent period of service. We weighted models to create nationally representative estimates. Setting Nationally representative data from the 2005–2013 waves of the Current Population Survey – Food Security Supplement. Subjects US households ( n 388 680). Results Uncontrolled models found much lower rates of food insecurity (8·4 %) and very low food security (3·3 %) among veteran households than in non-veteran households (14·4 % and 5·4 %, respectively), with particularly low rates among households with older veterans. After adjustment, average rates of food insecurity and very low food security were not significantly different for veteran households. However, the probability of food insecurity was significantly higher among some recent veterans and significantly lower for those who served during the Vietnam War. Conclusions Although adjusting eliminated many differences between veteran and non-veteran households, veterans who served from 1975 and onwards may be at higher risk for food insecurity and should be the recipients of targeted outreach to improve nutritional outcomes

Current Population Survey · Economic growth · Economics · Environmental health · Food insecurity · Food security · Geography · Logistic regression · Odds · Outreach · Population · Sociology · Survey data collection · Demography · Food Security and Health in Diverse Populations · Health disparities and outcomes · Homelessness and Social Issues · Medicine

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