Implications of Food Insecurity on the Health and Well-Being of Korean Adults in the United States

Background and Purpose: Food insecurity, or inadequate access to sufficient food, is an important social determinant of health associated with various adverse health outcomes. While addressing food insecurity is crucial, there is also a need to improve access to diverse cultural foods, especially for racial and ethnic minority communities. Insufficient access to culturally relevant foods can lead to cultural stress, impacting one's identity and overall well-being. Previous research in Korea has documented higher rates of unmet healthcare and mental health challenges among food insecure individuals. Despite Koreans being one of the largest Asian subgroups in the United States, there are limited studies examining food insecurity within this population. This exploratory study seeks to address this gap by investigating the health implications of food insecurity among Korean adults in the United States. The findings of this study aim to provide insights that can guide the development of food intervention strategies tailored to the specific health needs of this population.

Methods: We analyzed data from a larger cross-sectional study focused on food insecurity and health in Washington State conducted with a convenience sample of 226 older adults aged 50+ years. Participants were recruited from seven community-based organizations in Washington State. Our analyses focused on older adults who identified as Korean. We calculated descriptive statistics and conducted chi-square tests with Yate’s continuity correction using R (version 4.3.3) to assess the relationships between food insecurity and a range of health outcomes (asthma, high blood pressure, diabetes, pain, arthritis, depression, cognition, untreated tooth decay, unmet dental needs, and gum disease).

Results: Among the Korean sample (n=90), the mean age was 72.0 years (SD: 10.4) and most participants were female (72.2%). Nearly three-fourths (74.4%) had completed high school or greater and 64.4% were married or in a domestic partnership. More than half (61.1%) reported incomes less than $20,000 and 68.9% did not have any health insurance. Nearly one-quarter (22.2%) of participants reported being food insecure. Food insecurity was significantly associated with elevated blood pressure and depression (p<.05). Food insecurity was not significantly associated with the other health outcomes or any oral health concerns.

Conclusion and Implications: The current study identified preliminary associations between food insecurity and poorer health outcomes of higher blood pressure and greater depression, as well as sociodemographic characteristics such as low income and lack of health insurance in over one-half of the sample of Korean older adults. Findings from this exploratory study underscore the need for better understanding and addressing the implications of food insecurity on health and wellbeing outcomes among diverse and racially marginalized older adults in the United States, particularly given the intersections of economic status and access to healthcare. Future work will identify specific directions for interventions to increase access to culturally relevant foods and enhanced promotion of health and wellbeing outcomes among Korean adults.