The Moderating Role of Perceived Community Belonging in the Association between Food Insecurity and Health and Well-Being

While extensive research has established a link between food insecurity and adverse health and well-being outcomes, less attention has been given to factors that may moderate this relationship. This study examines whether a strong sense of community belonging can buffer the impact of food insecurity on mood and anxiety disorders, poor self-rated mental and general health, and low life satisfaction. Data were drawn from the 2017-2018 Canadian Community Health Survey, a nationally representative cross-sectional survey conducted by Statistics Canada (N = 94,790). Findings from logistic regression models indicate that individuals experiencing food insecurity are more likely to report adverse health and well-being outcomes. A strong sense of community belonging moderates this relationship, reducing the harmful impacts of food insecurity across all measured outcomes. Gender-stratified analyses reveal that this protective effect is particularly pronounced for mental health outcomes-including mood disorder, anxiety disorder, and self-rated mental health-among women. These findings underscore the importance of strengthening community connections as a protective factor, especially in supporting women's mental health in food-insecure settings. For social work practice, these results highlight the need to promote community engagement and implement gender-sensitive interventions to address the unique vulnerabilities associated with food insecurity.