Grant: Master's Award: Canada Graduate Scholarships

"Food insecurity, or the lack of reliable access to sufficient amounts of healthy, affordable, and culturally appropriate food, is a major problem across the globe. Food insecurity contributes to poor mental health through worry and stress related to food availability, and through the negative effects of malnutrition. Another large-scale global problem is the increasing rates of obesity, especially within low- and middle-income countries. Interestingly, studies have found that food insecurity is actually related to increased rates of obesity. This may seem counterintuitive, however those who are food insecure are forced to buy inexpensive foods, which tend to be unhealthy options such as fast foods and sugary drinks. Obesity is also related to mental health, in that those who have obesity tend to have poorer well-being due to factors such as bullying and discrimination. The aim of this project is to understand the role that obesity plays in the relationship between food insecurity and mental health across the globe. This question will be answered using data from the Gallup World Poll, a massive international survey collected in over 150 countries. This research is important in today's society where obesity is on the rise in many countries. The findings from this research will help inform different preventions and treatments for mental health related to food insecurity, considering that obesity may play a role in this relationship."