Dietary intake, nutritional status and mental wellbeing of homeless adults in Reading, UK

Fallaize, R., Seale, J. V., Mortin, C., Armstrong, L. and Lovegrove, J. A. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7633-9455 (2017) Dietary intake, nutritional status and mental wellbeing of homeless adults in Reading, UK. British Journal of Nutrition, 118 (9). pp. 707-714. ISSN 0007-1145 doi: 10.1017/S0007114517002495

Abstract/Summary

Malnutrition has been reported in the homeless, yet the specific nutritional issues faced by each homeless community are unclear. This is in part due to nutrient intake often being compared with dietary reference values as opposed to a comparative housed population. In addition, the complex interplay between nutrient intake, reward mediated behaviour and mental illness is frequently overlooked. This study aimed to compare the dietary intake, nutritional status and mental wellbeing of homeless and housed adults. Homeless (n 75) and matched housed (n 75) adults were recruited from Reading (UK). Nutrient intake was determined using the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition Norfolk FFQ. The Patient Health Questionnaire: Somatic Anxiety Depressive Symptoms (PHQ-SADS) assessed for signs of mental illness. Demographic, behavioural and physiological information was collected using closed-ended questions and anthropometric measurements. Overall, dietary intake was poorer in homeless adults who reported higher intakes of salt (8·0 v. 6·4 g, P=0·017), SFA (14·6 v. 13·0 %, P=0·002) and alcohol (5·3 v. 1·9 %, P<0·001) and lower intakes of fibre (13·4 v. 16·3 g, P<0·001), vitamin C (79 v. 109 mg, P<0·001) and fruit (96 v. 260 g, P<0·001) than housed. Smoking, substance misuse and PHQ-SADS scores were also higher in the homeless (P<0·001). Within the homeless population, street homeless (n 24) had lower SFA (13·7 v.15·0 %, P=0·010), Ca (858 v. 1032 mg, P=0·027) and milk intakes (295 v. 449 g, P=0·001) than hostel residents (n 51), which may reflect the issues with food storage. This study highlights the disparity between nutritional status in homeless and housed populations and the need for dietary intervention in the homeless community.

Item Type	Article
URI	https://reading-clone.eprints-hosting.org/id/eprint/74507
Identification Number/DOI	10.1017/S0007114517002495
Refereed	Yes
Divisions	Interdisciplinary centres and themes > Institute for Cardiovascular and Metabolic Research (ICMR) Interdisciplinary Research Centres (IDRCs) > Institute for Food, Nutrition and Health (IFNH) Life Sciences > School of Chemistry, Food and Pharmacy > Department of Food and Nutritional Sciences > Human Nutrition Research Group
Uncontrolled Keywords	LRNI lower reference nutrient intake PHQ-SADS Patient Health Questionnaire: Somatic Anxiety Depressive Symptoms; Dietary methodology; Homelessness; Mental health; Nutrient intake; Nutrition intervention
Publisher	Cambridge University Press
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