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

<p dir="ltr">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 <i>Valle de Ricote</i>, Region of Murcia, Spain.</p><p dir="ltr">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).</p><p dir="ltr">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).</p><p dir="ltr">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.</p>