Interlinked crises: the roles of food literacy, quality of life, and mental well-being in predicting adult food insecurity

Food insecurity and limited food literacy are important public health concerns associated with poorer psychological well-being and lower quality of life. This study aimed to examine the relationships between food insecurity, food literacy, quality of life, and mental well-being among adults in Türkiye. A cross-sectional online survey was conducted among adults aged 18–64 years in Türkiye (n = 1,295). Food insecurity was assessed using the USDA Food Security Survey Module (FSSM), food literacy was measured with the Short Food Literacy Questionnaire (SFLQ), quality of life was evaluated using the EUROHIS Quality of Life 8-Item Index (EUROHIS-QOL-8), and mental well-being was assessed with the Short Warwick–Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale (SWEMWBS). Food insecurity was prevalent in 44.1% of participants. Logistic regression analysis indicated that lower income (p < 0.001), lower education (p < 0.001), female gender (p = 0.003) and having more children (p = 0.018) were significantly associated with higher odds of food insecurity. The food-insecure group had lower food literacy (p < 0.001), quality of life (p < 0.001), mental well-being (p < 0.001), and number of employed individuals (p < 0.01). FSSM scores were negatively correlated with SFLQ (p < 0.01), EUROHIS-QOL-8 (p < 0.01), and SWEMWBS (p < 0.01). In linear regression analysis (R² = 0.248, p < 0.001), a one-year increase in age was associated with a 0.038-point decrease in FSSM total score. One-point increases in EUROHIS-QOL-8, SWEMWBS, and SFLQ scores were associated with decreases of 0.173, 0.042, and 0.064 points in FSSM total score, respectively. A one-unit increase in the number of employed individuals was associated with a 0.478-point decrease in FSSM total score. Food insecurity is associated with socioeconomic challenges, inadequate food literacy, lower quality of life, and reduced mental well-being. Policies integrating economic support with nutrition education, food literacy promotion, and mental health services may help address food insecurity and improve population well-being.