Association Between Food Security and 10-Year Cardiovascular Disease Risk Differs by Gender and Weight Status.

Background: This cross-sectional study aimed to evaluate the association between food security (FS) and 10-year estimated cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk and whether the association differs by gender or weight status. Methods: Among 12,802 individuals 30-80 years of age without CVD history, who participated in the 2012-2015 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, FS levels (high, marginal, and low), FS score, Framingham CVD risk score, BMI, and confounding factors (sociodemographic factors and lifestyle) were assessed. Complex sampling design logistic regression analysis was used. Results: In gender-specific analysis, lower FS level was associated with a high (≥20%) 10-year estimated CVD risk in men (OR [95% CI], 1.49[1.08-2.05] for marginal FS and 1.48[1.01-2.15] for low FS than high FS; 1.09[1.02-1.16]/1 point of FS score), whereas the association between FS level and high CVD risk in women was only significant for FS score (1.10[1.01-1.20]/1-point). In weight status-specific analysis, lower FS was associated with increase in high CVD risk in the nonoverweight group (1.10[1.02- 1.18]/1-point of FS score), but not in overweight group. When weight status and FS levels were combined, overweight men regardless of FS levels and nonoverweight men with marginal FS had increased odds of high CVD risk compared to nonoverweight men with high FS. In women, the overweight group with high FS and the nonoverweight group with low FS had increased odds of high CVD risk. Conclusion: Lower FS was associated with ≥20% 10-year estimated CVD risk and the association differed by gender and weight status in Koreans.