Effect of food insecurity on food purchases at home

Previous research has established a relationship between income and food security. In this article, we examine the effect of food security on food purchases, specifically on five food-at-home groups. Using a set of Tobit models, and after controlling for a set of confounding factors, we show that food security perception leads to the purchase of fruit and vegetables, meats and eggs, and dairy products while decreasing the purchase of fat and carbohydrates. However, we cannot be certain of the actual nutritional effect.