Psychological mechanisms associated with food security status and BMI in adults: A mixed methods study

Abstract

Objective: This study examined psychological constructs (delay discounting, grit, future time perspective and subjective social status) in relation to food security status and body weight.Design: A simultaneous triangulation mixed methods design was used to collect quantitative and qualitative data. Quantitative data were collected in fifty-six adults. Independent variables included food security status (food secure or food insecure) and BMI category (normal weight or overweight/obese). Participants, matched on race (African American and White), were categorised into four food security status by BMI category groups. Psychological constructs were measured via validated questionnaires. Qualitative data were collected in a subsample of twelve participants via in-depth interviews.Setting: This study was conducted in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.Participants: The sample was 66 % female and 48 % African American with a mean age of 32·3 (sd 9·2) years and BMI of 28·8 (sd 7·7) kg/m2.Results: Quantitative results showed that food-insecure participants with overweight/obesity had greater delay discounting (-3·78 v.-6·16, P = 0·01;-3·78 v.-5·75, P = 0·02) and poorer grit (3·37 v. 3·99, P = 0·02; 3·37 v. 4·02, P = 0·02) than their food-secure counterparts and food-insecure participants with normal weight. Food-insecure participants with overweight/obesity also had a shorter time period for financial planning (0·72 v. 4·14, P = 0·02) than food-secure participants with normal weight. Qualitative data largely supported quantitative findings with participants discussing varied perceptions of psychological constructs.Conclusions: This study found differences in delaying gratification, grit and financial planning between food security status and body weight groups.