Prevalence and correlates of food insecurity in community-based individuals with severe mental illness receiving long-acting injectable antipsychotic treatment

People with severe mental illness (SMI) have numerous risk factors that may predispose them to food insecurity (FI); however, the prevalence of FI and its effects on health are under-researched in this population. The present study aimed to describe the prevalence of FI and its relationship to lifestyle factors in people with SMI. This cross-sectional study recruited people with SMI receiving long-acting injectable (LAI) antipsychotic medication from community services at three sites in Sydney, Australia. Assessments were completed on physical health and lifestyle factors. chi(2) Tests, independent-samples t tests and binary logistic regression analyses were calculated to examine relationships between lifestyle factors and FI. In total, 233 people completed the assessments: 154 were males (60 %), mean age 44.8 (SD 12.7) years, and the majority (70 %) had a diagnosis of schizophrenia. FI was present in 104 participants (45 %). People with FI were less likely to consume fruits (OR 0.42, 95 % CI 0.24, 0.74, P=0.003), vegetables (OR 0:39, 95 % CI 0.22, 0.69, P=0.001) and protein-based foods (OR 0.45, 95 % CI 0.25, 0.83, P =0.011) at least once daily, engaged in less moderate to vigorous physical activity (min) (OR 0.997, 95 % CI 0.993, 1.000, P=0.044), and were more likely to smoke (OR 1.89, 95 % CI 1.08, 3.32, P=0.026). FI is highly prevalent among people with SMI receiving LAI antipsychotic medications. Food-insecure people with SMI engage in less healthy lifestyle behaviours, increasing the risk of future non-communicable disease.