In Case You Haven't Heard…

Food insecurity can increase anxiety and undermine employees at work, but workplace programs to address the issue can improve job outcomes, according to research published in the Journal of Applied Psychology , an American Psychological Association news release stated. “There is an implicit assumption that food insecurity primarily affects unemployed people, but it's a pervasive issue that impacts a sizable portion of the workforce,” said lead researcher Jason Moy, MS, a doctoral student in organizational behavior at the University of Washington. Food insecurity refers to fear or anxiety about not being able to afford enough food to survive, which can lead to cutting back on food purchases or skipping meals. More than 47 million people, or 13% of U.S. households, experienced food insecurity in 2023, according to a 2024 report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Previous research has found that food insecurity is associated with increased risks of hypertension, anemia, asthma, anxiety, depression and sleeping and eating disorders. “We want to highlight that business leaders should support their employees who face food insecurity because doing so, in turn, benefits the businesses themselves,” Moy said.