Article Impact Level: HIGH Data Quality: STRONG Summary of JAMA Cardiology. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamacardio.2025.0109 Dr. Jenny Jia et al.
Points
- Food insecurity was associated with a 41% higher risk of developing cardiovascular disease (CVD), with food-insecure individuals experiencing CVD events at nearly twice the rate of food-secure individuals (11% vs. 6%).
- The study followed 3,616 adults from 2000 to 2020, with a mean age of 40.1 years; 15% reported food insecurity, and the majority were Black individuals with lower educational attainment.
- The adjusted hazard ratio (aHR) for CVD among food-insecure individuals was 1.90 (95% CI, 1.41-2.56), indicating a significantly increased risk compared to food-secure individuals. After further adjusting for socioeconomic factors, the association remained significant (aHR 1.47, 95% CI, 1.08-2.01).
- The study emphasizes food insecurity as a major social determinant of CVD risk, independent of other socioeconomic factors such as education, marital status, and healthcare access.
- The findings highlight the need for targeted interventions to address food insecurity as a strategy to reduce CVD incidence and improve cardiovascular health in vulnerable populations.
Summary
This study aimed to investigate the association between food insecurity and incident cardiovascular disease (CVD) among US adults, particularly exploring differences by sex, education, and race. Using data from the CARDIA (Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults) study, which followed 3,616 adults from 2000 to 2020, the researchers found that food insecurity was associated with a 41% increased risk of developing CVD. This analysis adjusted for demographic and socioeconomic factors, revealing that food insecurity significantly contributed to the incidence of CVD in the cohort. Specifically, individuals experiencing food insecurity had a higher rate of CVD events compared to those without food insecurity (11% vs. 6%, respectively).
The study population consisted of participants with a mean age of 40.1 years, 56% of whom were female, and 47% were Black. Food insecurity was reported by 15% of the participants, with the majority of food-insecure individuals self-identifying as Black and having lower educational attainment. Over an average follow-up period of 18.8 years, a total of 255 CVD events occurred, 57 (11%) of which were among food-insecure participants. After adjusting for age, sex, and field center, the adjusted hazard ratio (aHR) for incident CVD among food-insecure participants was 1.90 (95% CI, 1.41-2.56), indicating a nearly twofold increased risk compared to food-secure individuals.
Link to the article: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamacardiology/article-abstract/2831124
References Jia, J., Carnethon, M. R., Wong, M., Lewis, C. E., Schreiner, P. J., & Kandula, N. R. (2025). Food insecurity and incident cardiovascular disease among black and white us individuals, 2000-2020. JAMA Cardiology. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamacardio.2025.0109
