Household Food Insecurity and Mental Health Among Teenage Girls Living in Urban Slums in Varanasi, India: A Cross-Sectional Study

This 2018 study was conducted to investigate the link between household food insecurity and mental health issues in Indian teenagers living in urban slums. Out of 5 urban slums in Varanasi, India, 418 teenage girls were chosen randomly, and assessed on food security and mental health status. Food insecurity was reported by 47.6% of the respondents, while high levels of anxiety, depression, or psychological distress were shown by 64.1%, 57.7%, and 58.4% of the sample, respectively. It was revealed that compared with those living in food-secure households, girls from food-insecure families have a higher risk of developing worse anxiety, depression, loss of behavioral control or psychological distress. Food insecurity appears to be independently related to mental health problems among teenage girls. Rani et al. conclude that those living in Indian slums should be given greater access to safe and nutritious foods. [NPID: low-income, food insecurity, anxiety, depression, psychological distress]

Year: 2018

Reference: Rani, D., Singh, J. K., Acharya, D., Paudel, R., Lee, K., & Singh, S. P. (2018). Household Food Insecurity and Mental Health Among Teenage Girls Living in Urban Slums in Varanasi, India: A Cross-Sectional Study. International journal of environmental research and public health, 15(8), 1585. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph15081585