Food Insecurity With Hunger and Sexual Behavior Among Adolescents From 53 Countries
Lee Smith, Philip B. Ward, Davy Vancampfort, Guillermo F. López Sánchez, Lin Yang, Igor Grabovac, Louis Jacob, Damiano Pizzol, Nicola Veronese, Jae Il Shin, Jinhee Lee, Daragh T. McDermott, Ai Koyanagi
Abstract
Objectives: To examine the relationship of food insecurity with sexual intercourse, multiple sexual partners and non-condom use. Methods: Data on food insecurity (hunger) and sexual behaviors from 205,296 adolescents from 53 countries. Associations were analyzed using meta-analysis. Results: Overall, 16.0% of the adolescents ever had sexual intercourse and the prevalence of moderate and severe food insecurity was 44.9% and 6.2%, respectively. Moderate and severe food insecurity was associated with higher odds for sexual intercourse. Any food insecurity was significantly associated with condom nonuse at last sex. Conclusions: Food insecurity was associated with higher odds of ever having sexual intercourse dose-dependently.