Publication date: Jun 13, 2025

Young adulthood is a transitional period between childhood and adulthood characterized by unique stressors that increase the risk of food insecurity and poor mental health. This study examined the association between food insecurity and mental health outcomes among U. S. young adults aged 18-25. A cross-sectional survey was completed by young adults between the ages of 18-25 years between January and April 2022. Key measures included food insecurity, perceived stress, anxiety, depressive symptoms, and insomnia. Descriptive statistics and linear regression analyses were used to determine the prevalence of and associations between food insecurity and mental health outcomes, controlling for key demographic and social factors. Online survey. 1,630 U. S. young adults. Among the analytic sample of 1,041 young adults, nearly 70% of participants identified as being food insecure in the last year. Participants reported moderate to high levels of perceived stress, anxiety, depressive symptoms, and insomnia. Food insecurity was positively associated with each mental health outcome including perceived stress (β=2. 28, p

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