Food insecurity prevalence and its sociodemographic correlates among Spanish adolescents: the EHDLA study

Introduction: Insufficient and unequal access to food (i.e. food insecurity [FI]) has a negative impact on health, especially in vulnerable groups such as adolescents. This study determined the prevalence of FI and its sociodemographic correlates among adolescents in the Valle de Ricote, Region of Murcia, Spain.

Methods: A secondary analysis was conducted using data from the Eating Healthy and Daily Life Activities (EHDLA) study, which provides a sample of 882 adolescents (median = 14, interquartile range [IQR] = 2) collected during the 2021–2022 academic year. FI was measured using the Child Food Security Survey Module in Spanish (CFSSM-S).

Results: Findings showed a prevalence of FI of 16.2%, with significant sociodemographic disparities. Adolescents from immigrant (n: 67; %: 46.9; odds ratio [OR] = 2.41; 95% CI: 1.38 to 4.21) and diverse (n: 25; %: 17.5; OR=2.04; 95% CI: 1.10 to 3.79) families showed a higher susceptibility to FI. In addition, higher parental education was related to lower FI (university education: n: 13; %: 9.6; OR=0.36; 95% CI: 0.17 to 0.74).

Conclusion: These findings highlight the need for targeted public health policies that improve access to nutritious food, enhance parental education, and address socioeconomic inequalities to effectively reduce FI among Spanish adolescents.