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Intimate partner violence, food insecurity linked to maternal depression

Women who experience physical, mental or sexual abuse from their partners are more likely to be food insecure, according to study results released by the Texas Obesity Research Center, University of Houston.

The United States Department of Agriculture defines food insecurity as the lack of access to adequate food due to insufficient financial resources.

Daphne Hernandez

Depression, intimate partner violence and food insecurity were assessed among 1,690 mothers of young children who participated in the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study. Domestic abuse was observed 3 years after the child’s birth and then compared with an increase in food insecurity from the child’s third to fifth birthday.

“The bridge between the two issues is depression,” Daphne Hernandez, PhD, assistant professor and Texas Obesity Research Center researcher, said in a press release. “Our study found that women experiencing intimate partner violence are more likely to be depressed, which impacts their ability to ensure a food-secure household.”

The researchers found that mothers who experienced intimate partner violence were more likely to experience depression than mothers who have never experienced intimate partner violence. Additionally, mothers who experienced depression were twice as likely to live in food-insecure households.

The researchers concluded that the family environment and women’s health may significantly affect the lives of families with young children.

Disclosure: The researchers report no relevant financial disclosures.