Vision impairment may be associated with food insecurity
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In a sample of U.S. adults, vision impairment was associated with food insecurity, defined as “limited or uncertain availability of nutritionally adequate or safe foods,” according to a poster presentation at Real World Ophthalmology.
A study conducted by Jessica Brinson and co-authors at Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, analyzed data from the 2011-2018 National Health Interview Survey. Vision impairment was defined as self-reported poor vision despite the use of glasses or contact lenses. Food insecurity status was assessed through a questionnaire and graded from high to very low food security.
Adults with vision impairment had 216% higher odds of being food insecure as compared with adults without vision impairment. There was a dose-response relationship, with visual impairment predicting 159% higher odds of marginal food security status, 197% higher odds of low food security and 295% higher odds of very low food security compared with high food security. No association was found with gender, ethnicity or region of the country.
“This data highlights the need for targeted interventions to address and reduce the burden of food insecurity among U.S. adults with [vision impairment],” the authors wrote.
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Brinson J, et al. Self-reported vision impairment and food security in the US, National Health Interview Survey. Presented at: Real World Ophthalmology; Sept. 30, 2023 (virtual meeting).
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