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Background <p>Postpartum depression (PPD) affects a significant proportion of birthing people worldwide, with rising rates in the United States. Food insecurity, a recognized social determinant of health, has been independently associated with adverse maternal and child outcomes. Although individual studies have examined links between food insecurity and PPD, the evidence base is fragmented, with variation in populations studied, measurement tools, and conceptual approaches.</p> Objective <p>This scoping review examined the relationship between food insecurity and postpartum depression (PPD), synthesizing available evidence to inform research, clinical practice, and policy.</p> Methods <p>Guided by the Arksey and O’Malley framework and the PRISMA-ScR checklist, a systematic search of PubMed, CINAHL, PsychINFO, Scopus, and GreenFILE were searched for peer-reviewed, English-language primary studies.</p> Results <p>Twenty studies met inclusion criteria (18 quantitative, 2 qualitative), with six conducted in the United States and 14 in other countries. Nineteen of 20 studies demonstrated an association between food insecurity and PPD. However, diversity in measurement tools and study designs limited comparability. Most studies used symptom-based screening rather than diagnostic criteria, and few applied the validated tools currently recommended by ACOG and USPSTF. While findings consistently indicate food insecurity as a significant correlate of PPD, the directionality of the relationship remains unclear, and existing measures often overlook physical access to food.</p> Conclusion <p>The evidence indicates a robust association between food insecurity and PPD across diverse populations, though methodological limitations constrain interpretation. Future research should prioritize standardized PPD measures, explore causal and bidirectional pathways, and integrate physical access to food into food insecurity assessment. Clinically, integrating food insecurity screening with PPD screening could strengthen early detection. Policy strategies that reduce economic and geographic barriers to food access may play a critical role in mitigating PPD risk.</p>

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Exploring the relationship between food insecurity and postpartum depression: A scoping review

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2026年1月19日

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  • Brooklyn Shea Stone,
  • Azita Amiri

摘要

Background

Postpartum depression (PPD) affects a significant proportion of birthing people worldwide, with rising rates in the United States. Food insecurity, a recognized social determinant of health, has been independently associated with adverse maternal and child outcomes. Although individual studies have examined links between food insecurity and PPD, the evidence base is fragmented, with variation in populations studied, measurement tools, and conceptual approaches.

Objective

This scoping review examined the relationship between food insecurity and postpartum depression (PPD), synthesizing available evidence to inform research, clinical practice, and policy.

Methods

Guided by the Arksey and O’Malley framework and the PRISMA-ScR checklist, a systematic search of PubMed, CINAHL, PsychINFO, Scopus, and GreenFILE were searched for peer-reviewed, English-language primary studies.

Results

Twenty studies met inclusion criteria (18 quantitative, 2 qualitative), with six conducted in the United States and 14 in other countries. Nineteen of 20 studies demonstrated an association between food insecurity and PPD. However, diversity in measurement tools and study designs limited comparability. Most studies used symptom-based screening rather than diagnostic criteria, and few applied the validated tools currently recommended by ACOG and USPSTF. While findings consistently indicate food insecurity as a significant correlate of PPD, the directionality of the relationship remains unclear, and existing measures often overlook physical access to food.

Conclusion

The evidence indicates a robust association between food insecurity and PPD across diverse populations, though methodological limitations constrain interpretation. Future research should prioritize standardized PPD measures, explore causal and bidirectional pathways, and integrate physical access to food into food insecurity assessment. Clinically, integrating food insecurity screening with PPD screening could strengthen early detection. Policy strategies that reduce economic and geographic barriers to food access may play a critical role in mitigating PPD risk.