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Adolescent mental well-being and household food security: insights from a cross-sectional study in Irewole local government area, Osun State, Nigeria
This research investigates the association between household food insecurity and adolescent mental health in Osun State, Nigeria, emphasizing the significance of nutritional access for physical and mental development. A cross-sectional survey of 400 heads of households and adolescents was conducted using multi-stage sampling methods. The Mental Health Continuum Short Form (MHC-SF) was utilized to assess adolescents’ mental well-being, while the Household Food Insecurity Access Scale (HFIAS) evaluated food insecurity levels among households.
The sample comprised 51.7% male adolescents with an average age of 15 years. A significant majority (90.1%) were in school, and 39.4% came from low-wealth households. Alarmingly, 75% of the adolescents belonged to severely food-insecure households. Mental well-being assessments revealed that 30% of adolescents had flourishing mental well-being, 59% had mild mental well-being, and 9% were languishing. Statistical analysis indicated that adolescents from food-secure households had 13 times higher odds of flourishing mental well-being compared to those from severely food-insecure homes (OR: 13.1, 95% CI: 5.5–31.2, p < 0.001). Furthermore, the odds were threefold higher for moderately food-insecure adolescents (OR: 3.2, 95% CI: 1.7–6.2, p = 0.001).
In conclusion, the findings underscore the critical impact of household food security on adolescent mental health, revealing that those from food-insecure environments exhibit significantly poorer mental well-being. The study advocates for strategies to enhance household food production, implement comprehensive nutrition education, and integrate mental health assessments into school health programs for early identification and intervention. [NPID: Food insecurity, well-being, adolescent, mental health]
Year: 2025
