Household Food Insecurity Is Associated With Higher Adiposity Over Time Among Adolescents in Louisiana
Authors' conclusion
This longitudinal study highlights the deleterious influence of food insecurity on adolescent adiposity. Efforts to alleviate food insecurity may play an important role in preventing obesity in adolescents.
Study context
- Population
- Adolescents in and around Baton Rouge, Louisiana, TIGER Kids study; baseline age 12.9 ± 1.9 years, 50.5% female, 37.4% non-White or Hispanic, 31.5% obesity, 11.3% food insecure
- Participants
- 222 adolescents
- Exposure
- Household food insecurity vs food security
- Outcome
- Change in adiposity (BMIp95, waist circumference, total body fat percentage, visceral adipose tissue mass)
- Follow-up
- 2 years
Methodological detailslongitudinal, multivariable multilevel models
- Longitudinal
- Multivariable multilevel models
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Change in adiposity
- ± 2.2%; greater increase with food insecurity
- b (BMIp95) 6.0 %; P = 0.0082
- ± 1.7 cm; greater increase with food insecurity
- b (waist circumference) 4.1 cm; P = 0.0158
- ± 1.3%; greater increase with food insecurity
- b (total body fat percentage) 3.0 %; P = 0.0194
- ± 0.06 kg; greater increase with food insecurity
- b (visceral adipose tissue mass) 0.16 kg; P = 0.0163
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
Moderation by sex
- The effect of food insecurity on adiposity did not differ between boys and girls
Original publication
Household Food Insecurity Is Associated With Higher Adiposity Over Time Among Adolescents in Louisiana. Pediatr Obes. Published 5 February 2026. doi:10.
Composed by AI from the published abstract and checked against it. How Briefs are made →