Does food insecurity cause anxiety and depression? Evidence from the changing cost of living study

Does food insecurity affect mental health?

Food insecurity has been linked to higher levels of anxiety and depression, but questions remain about whether this relationship is causal and how quickly it manifests. In a preregistered analysis of the Changing Cost of Living Study, Bateson et al. (2025) investigated this potential causal link using monthly data collected between September 2022 and August 2023 from adults in the UK (n = 244) and France (n = 240). After adjusting for factors like age, gender, time, and prior mental health, food insecurity was found to significantly correlate with higher levels of anxiety and depression, as measured by GAD-7 and PHQ-8 scores. Increases in food insecurity led to worsening symptoms, while improvements in food security led to symptom relief—both occurring within the same short timespan. Statistical analyses showed that food insecurity in one month could predict mental health decline in the next. These findings suggest that food insecurity may directly and quickly affect mental health. Thus, reducing food insecurity through policy could have immediate and meaningful benefits for mental well-being. [NPID: Food insecurity, anxiety, depression, mental health, causality, longitudinal study, symptom change, public policy, GAD-7, PHQ-8]

Year: 2025

Reference: Bateson, M., Chevallier, C., Johnson, E. A., Johnson, M. T., Pickett, K. E., & Nettle, D. (2025). Does food insecurity cause anxiety and depression? Evidence from the changing cost of living study. PLOS Mental Health, 2(7), e0000320. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pmen.0000320