Food insecurity, dietary quality and health in the Netherlands

The overall aim of this thesis was to gain a clearer picture of the prevalence of food insecurity in the Netherlands and its consequences for dietary quality and health. The studies included in this thesis provide potential targets for interventions aimed at reducing food insecurity among affected people and families in the Netherlands.Based on this thesis, we can conclude that a considerable number of people in the Netherlands experience food insecurity. The findings described in this thesis provide insight into the consequences: food insecurity is associated with obesity, poor physical and mental health, and poor dietary quality. Our results also illuminate the role of sociodemographic and lifestyle factors, psychosocial factors and the food environment in these associations. In addition, our findings offer a clearer understanding of the perceived needs, perceptions and barriers regarding healthy eating among people at risk of experiencing food insecurity, as well as suggesting potential interventions. This thesis has shown that the issue of food insecurity needs to be better recognized and addressed in the Netherlands, for example through the development and implementation of population-based and risk group-based interventions for which appropriate screening and targeted interventions should be further explored.LUMC / Geneeskund