Publication type
Journal Article
Authors
Publication date
December 15, 2026
Summary:
Background:
Food insecurity has increased in the UK, yet little is known about disparities by sexual orientation or whether food-insecure sexual minority adults face distinct barriers to food-bank access.
Methods:
We used the 2011-2025 UK Household Longitudinal Study to examine sexual orientation disparities in food insecurity, food-related financial pressure, food-bank use, and reasons for food-bank non-use. Food insecurity was measured using the eight-item Food Insecurity Experience Scale (FIES). A high food-spending-burden measure, calibrated against FIES-defined food insecurity, was applied across Waves 3–15. We estimated logistic and population-averaged longitudinal logistic regression models.
Results:
Compared with heterosexual adults, bisexual adults, adults in the “other” sexual orientation category, and adults who preferred not to disclose their sexual orientation had 23%, 66%, and 23% higher adjusted odds of food insecurity, respectively. No significant disparity was observed among gay/lesbian adults. Disparities were particularly pronounced among bisexual women, women in the “other” category, and non-disclosing women. Longitudinal analyses showed persistent food-related financial pressure among “other” and non-disclosing respondents, with disparities during and after the COVID pandemic. Among food-insecure respondents, adults in the “other” and non-disclosing categories had higher odds of food-bank use. Among food-insecure non-users, bisexual and non-disclosing adults were more likely to report not wanting to use food banks, while gay/lesbian adults were more likely to report being unable to use them.
Conclusions:
This study provides, to our knowledge, the first nationally representative longitudinal UK evidence linking sexual orientation with both food insecurity and food-bank access. Findings support sexual-orientation-disaggregated monitoring and more inclusive food-support systems.
Published in
Social Science & Medicine
Volume
Volume: 410:119838
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2026.119838
ISSN
2779536
Subjects
Notes
© 2026 Published by Elsevier Ltd.
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