Impact of Food Insecurity on Perceived Risk Factors for Myocardial Infarction in Food-Insecure Populations

Abstract

Food insecurity is a significant social determinant of health with a known association with cardiovascular morbidity. However, less is known about its relationship to cardiovascular risk perception. This cross-sectional study examined whether food insecurity severity is associated with the perception of myocardial infarction (MI) risk among adults without a history of heart disease. Participants (N = 55) were recruited from food distribution sites in Jacksonville and Gainesville, Florida. Participants completed a survey assessing food insecurity severity and cardiovascular risk perception and were compared to a control group (N = 35). Food insecurity was quantified using a Food Insecurity Severity Index (FISI, Range: 5-20), with higher scores indicating greater insecurity. Perception of MI risk factors was measured using a Myocardial Infarction Risk Awareness Score (MIRAS, Range: 7-35), with higher scores indicating lower awareness. Food distribution participants (Mean: 10.95) had higher FISI scores compared to the controls (Mean: 5.7), which was expected. Unexpectedly, the control group (Mean: 15.2) exhibited higher MIRAS scores than the food distribution participants (Mean: 14.15), suggesting a lower awareness of MI risk factors. These findings suggest that the known association between food insecurity and cardiovascular morbidity may be due to structural barriers, rather than a knowledge gap in food-insecure populations.