Is there an association between food insecurity and dietary diversity among seniors in Lubbock?

Objectives: To determine household food insecurity and dietary diversity (DD) among seniors in Lubbock, Texas and examine the relationships between food security status and DD. Design: Cross-sectional study design. Setting: Lubbock, Texas. Participants: 200 seniors (≥ 50 years) randomly selected from seven senior centers and Meals on Wheels. Measurements: Socio-demographic and economic questionnaire, the validated Household Food Insecurity Access Scale (HFIAS) for food security and coping strategies, the validated DD scale for measuring the minimum DD for women (MDD-W), and weight and height measurements. P<0.05 considered significant was used for all statistical analyses. Results: The majority of the respondents (59.8%) were categorized as food secure. No significant relationships were observed between DD and HFIAS. The linear regression analysis carried out on the socio-demographic predictors of food security showed that age, household income and money spent on food per month were p