This study explored relationships of food insecurity with cognitive restraint, uncontrolled eating, and emotional eating behaviors among congregate meal participants in northeast Georgia (n = 118, age 60 and older, mean (SD) age = 75 (8) years, 75% female, 43% Black, 53% obese, BMI > 30). Food insecurity was assessed with a 6-item questionnaire (adapted from USDA 2012, Wolfe et al 2003); scores ranged from 0 to 6 and were categorized and defined from high or marginal food security to very low food security. Eating behavior was assessed with an 18-item Three-Factor Eating Questionnaire R-18 (Karlsson et al 2000, Porter and Johnson 2011). Food insecurity was consistently associated with cognitive restraint, but not with uncontrolled or emotional eating. These findings suggest there may be other dimensions of cognitive restraint to consider in nutritional assessment and interventions among food insecure older adults.
