Childhood food insecurity trajectories and adolescent eating disorder symptoms: a UK cohort study

Food insecurity is increasingly linked with disordered eating. However, studies have not yet explored impacts of childhood food insecurity on disordered eating in adolescence. This study examined the links between patterns of childhood food insecurity and adolescent disordered eating.

Data were from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC) cohort in the UK (6,723 participants; 55.7% girls). Food insecurity was reported by mothers from pregnancy to age 7. Disordered eating was reported by adolescents at ages 14, 16, and 18.

Most participants experienced no food insecurity throughout childhood (n = 5,801, 77.9%), followed by low food insecurity (n = 416, 12.4%), time-limited food insecurity (n = 292, 6.0%), and persistent food insecurity (n = 214, 3.7%). At age 14 adolescents in the time-limited food insecurity group had higher odds of binge eating (OR = 1.63, p = .040), and those in the persistent food insecurity group had higher odds of compensatory behaviours compared those in the no food insecurity group (OR = 1.72, p = .025). No significant associations were observed with disordered eating at age 16. At age 18 adolescents in the time-limited food insecurity group compared to the no food insecurity group had higher odds of compensatory behaviours (OR = 1.68, p = .041).

Findings showed that childhood food insecurity was linked with higher odds of disordered eating in adolescence. Interestingly, associations were observed for those experiencing either time-limited or persistent food insecurity, highlighting the potential impact of early childhood experiences.