Examining the Link Between Household Food Insecurity and Mental Health Outcomes Among Adults in Benue State, North Central Nigeria

Household food insecurity is an established social determinant of mental health, yet the specific pathways linking food insecurity to depression, anxiety, and psychological distress in the context of North Central Nigeria's interethnic conflict and agricultural disruption remain underexplored. This study examines the association between household food insecurity and mental health outcomes among adults aged 18 to 60 years in Benue State. A cross-sectional analytical design is applied to 340 adults selected through multistage random sampling from six local government areas with documented histories of herder-farmer conflict. The Household Food Insecurity Access Scale measures food security status, while the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 and Generalised Anxiety Disorder scale assess depression and anxiety respectively. Additional variables including social support, displacement history, coping strategies, and economic status are assessed. Binary logistic regression in SPSS examines the independent association between food insecurity severity and mental health outcome categories, controlling for confounders. The 2022 Cadre Harmonise report indicates that Benue State regularly experiences phases two and three food insecurity, with conflict-affected communities at disproportionate risk. The Social Causation Hypothesis and the Stress-Sensitisation Model provide the theoretical basis for the food insecurity-mental health pathway. Findings will guide Benue State's public health and social protection agencies on integrated food security and mental health programming. Keywords: food insecurity, mental health, depression, anxiety, Benue State.