Abstract 4360742: Food Insecurity and Hypertension Among U.S. Women by Age Group: Results from the 2010-2023 National Health Interview Surveys

Abstract

Introduction: Food insecurity is associated with an increased hypertension risk, and women are disproportionately affected by food insecurity compared to men. However, limited research has examined how the relationship between food insecurity and hypertension varies across women’s life stages, despite age-related differences in social and economic circumstances. Objective: To examine age-related differences in the association between food insecurity and hypertension among U.S. women. Methods: We analyzed cross-sectional data from women aged 18 years and older in the 2010-2023 National Health Interview Surveys. We used survey-weighted, multinomial logistic regression models to examine the relationship between food insecurity and self-reported hypertension among younger (aged 18-44 years) and older (45 years and older) women. Effect modification was examined by age. Results: Among 354,032 women (55% aged ≥45 years), 10.3% experienced food insecurity (5.9% reported low food security; 4.4% reported very low food security). Younger women were more likely to be food insecure and less likely to be married or employed than older women (p <0.001). After adjusting for marital status, educational attainment, race/ethnicity, employment status, and income, food insecurity was associated with significantly higher odds of hypertension (OR: 1.31; 95% CI: 1.26-1.36). A significant interaction was also observed between age and food insecurity, with the odds of hypertension significantly higher among younger, food-insecure women in comparison to older, food-insecure women (interaction OR: 1.34, 95% CI: 1.25-1.45). Conclusion: There was a significant difference in hypertension risk among food-insecure women by age, with younger, food-insecure women experiencing a higher risk compared to their older counterparts. These findings underscore the American Heart Association’s Call to Action to improve women’s cardiovascular health, which includes advocacy for healthy food access and food security as a critical intervention across the life course.