Food insecurity in Norway: A cross-sectional study among patients visiting their general practitioner

TL;DR

This study finds that food insecurity is common in Norway, especially among young adults, migrants, and those with chronic diseases.

Contribution

The study provides the first national data on food insecurity in Norwegian general practice and identifies key vulnerable groups.

Findings

40.1% of participants were food insecure, with the highest rates among those under 30 years old.

Food insecurity was associated with being a migrant, lower education, and not having children.

Patients using medications for chronic diseases were more likely to experience food insecurity.

Abstract

We aim to address the knowledge gap surrounding food insecurity in general practice in Norway, focusing on its prevalence among patients, sociodemographic correlates and its relationship with chronic diseases across different age groups.

This study is cross-sectional, collecting data through 69 general practice clinics in 2022 from patients >18 years old visiting their general practitioner. They answered an anonymous questionnaire with the Cornell–Radimer hunger scale. Questions addressed hunger, concerns about food access, financial difficulties purchasing food, impact on children, patient demographics, children, and use of medications for chronic disease. We present logistic regression models with odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals to examine associations between food insecurity and patient characteristics.

Among 2571 invited patients, 81.2% (n=2089) participated in the study. Of the participants, 40.1% were considered food insecure. The questions in the Cornell–Radimer hunger scale indicated that most had a mild degree of food insecurity. Food insecurity ranged from 28.9% among those >70 years old to 68.0% among those <30 years old. Food insecurity was associated with age <30 years, being migrant, inversely associated with higher educational levels (OR 0.60, 0.41–0.87) or having own children (OR 0.24, 0.18–0.31). Food insecurity was higher among participants using medications for chronic disease (OR 1.33, 1.05–1.68).

This study underscores the presence of food insecurity in high-income countries like Norway, particularly among specific groups such as young adults, migrants and patients with chronic diseases. These categories of patient could benefit from screening of food insecurity during medical contact.

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