Characterizing adolescent-reported experiences of food insecurity in the ten Canadian provinces in 2019, 2020, and 2021: A cross-sectional analysis
Discuss this preprint
Start a discussion What are Sciety discussions?Listed in
This article is not in any list yet, why not save it to one of your lists.Abstract
Objectives
Estimate the prevalence and sociodemographic correlates of adolescent-reported food insecurity experiences from 2019-2021.
Methods
Repeat cross-sectional data were collected in November-December 2019, 2020, and 2021 from adolescents aged 10-17 years living in the ten Canadian provinces (n = 11,057). The prevalence of ten items and five food insecurity subconstructs based on the 10-item Child Food Insecurity Experiences Scale was estimated. Weighted multinomial logistic regression assessed associations between sociodemographic characteristics and food insecurity experiences as a four-level ( no , few , several , or many experiences) variable.
Results
Across 2019-2021 among adolescents, the prevalence of worrying about food scarcity ranged between 18.4%-22.5%, worrying about parental/guardian ability to get food ranged between 22.8%-26.9%, and not being able to get the food they wanted ranged between 23.5%-26.1%. Close to or above one in four adolescents affirmed the uncertainty (range: 26.9%-29.9%) and compromised diet quality or preferences (range: 23.5%-26.1%) subconstructs. In 2021, adolescents identifying as Black had a higher relative risk ratio of few food insecurity experiences (adjusted relative risk ratio (ARRR): 2.04 [95% CI: 1.20, 3.47], p-value: <0.01) and adolescents identifying as Indigenous had a higher relative risk ratio of several food insecurity experiences (2.38 [1.10, 5.15], p-value 0.03) compared to adolescents identifying as White. The relative risk ratio of having few , several , or many food insecurity experiences also differed by age, sex-at-birth, perceived income adequacy, and region.
Conclusion
The type and number of experiences reported underscores the value of directly measuring food insecurity. Interventions to mitigate food insecurity’s adverse consequences are warranted.
