Associations between food insecurity and mental health outcomes among Hispanic/Latino adolescents in Los Angeles and Miami.

PURPOSE: To examine associations between household food insecurity and psychosocial outcomes, including depression, anxiety, stress, and aggression among Hispanic/Latino (HL) adolescents in two urban settings.

METHODS

This study surveyed HL adolescents from Los Angeles and Miami (N = 300) to examine associations between food insecurity and depression, anxiety, stress, and aggression. Food insecurity was dichotomized and analyzed in separate logistic or linear regression models for each outcome. Multivariable models were adjusted for site, gender, nativity, socioeconomic status, and age.

RESULTS

Food insecurity was significantly associated with greater odds of moderate/severe anxiety and depressive symptoms, even after adjusting for covariates (OR = 4.60, 95% CI: 2.51-8.51 and OR = 3.17, 95% CI: 1.77-5.77, respectively). Food insecurity was also associated with higher adolescent stress (Estimated difference in means = 0.39, 95% CI: 0.12-0.65). No significant interactions were observed between food insecurity and site. Additionally, boys reported lower stress and depressive symptoms than girls across models.

CONCLUSIONS

Food insecurity is significantly associated with elevated anxiety, depression symptoms, and stress among HL adolescents. The strength of these associations highlights the serious mental health risks faced by HL youth experiencing food insecurity. These findings further underscore the need for addressing food insecurity hardships to support adolescent mental and behavioral health in HL communities.