Food insecurity, ultra-processed food consumption, diet quality, and quality of life among young adults: a cross-sectional study

Background Food insecurity (FI), a key social determinant of health, extends beyond insufficient food availability to encompass uncertain access to nutritionally adequate and safe foods, compromised dietary quality, and reliance on socially unacceptable food-acquisition strategies. Young adults may be particularly vulnerable to food insecurity during this transitional life stage, as many have not yet achieved full financial independence. Aim This study aims to examine the associations between FI status and diet quality, nutrient intake, UPF consumption, quality of life, and BMI among young adults. Methods This cross-sectional study included 404 young adults aged 19–30 years in Tokat, Türkiye, in 2025. Sociodemographic characteristics were collected using a structured questionnaire, while body weight and height were measured by the researchers. Dietary intake was assessed using a 24-h dietary recall, while FI, UPF consumption, diet quality, and quality of life were evaluated using the FI Experience Scale (FIES), sQ-HPF, HEI-2020, and EUROHIS-QOL-8, respectively. Participants were classified as food-secure or food-insecure, and comparisons were performed between groups. Multivariable regression analysis was conducted to identify factors independently associated with food insecurity. Results For 404 participants, 16.1% experienced food insecurity. Food-insecure participants had fewer daily main meals (2.14 ± 0.49 vs. 2.33 ± 0.57, p = 0.006), higher UPF consumption scores (7.53 ± 2.26 vs. 6.56 ± 2.51, p = 0.002), and lower quality-of-life scores (24.75 ± 4.75 vs. 29.24 ± 4.82, p < 0.001) than food-secure participants. Education, income, perceived economic status, and UPF consumption classifications differed significantly between the groups (all p < 0.01). Food-insecure participants also had lower MUFA (20.72 ± 7.95 vs. 26.17 ± 13.36 g/day, p < 0.001) and niacin intakes (18.97 ± 8.53 vs. 21.70 ± 12.24 mg/day, p = 0.031). No significant differences were observed in total energy intake, HEI scores, BMI, or BMI classification. Higher UPF consumption, lower quality of life, lower educational level and lower income levels were independently associated with greater FI. Conclusion Food insecurity among young adults was associated with greater UPF consumption, lower intakes of selected nutrients, and poorer quality of life, highlighting the need for strategies that improve access to affordable, nutrient-dense foods and address underlying socioeconomic inequalities.