Housing Insecurity and Disordered Eating Behaviors in Adolescents: A Cross-Sectional Study Using 2022 National Survey of Children’s Health Data

BACKGROUND: Engagement in disordered eating behaviors (DEBs) during adolescence could have long-term implications on health. Previous studies investigating protective and risk factors of DEBs have predominantly focused on individual- and family-level aspects. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study is to examine association of housing insecurity with DEBs in a nationally representative sample of adolescents from low-income households. DESIGN: A cross-sectional study design was used. PARTICIPANTS/SETTING: Using 2022 National Survey of Children's Health data, adolescents, aged 12 years or older, and from households with incomes ≤200% federal poverty level were included (N = 5607). Housing insecurity was defined as experiencing 1 of the following: inability to pay mortgage/rent on time, history of homelessness, multiple moves, and caregiver stress on eviction/foreclosure. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Main outcome measures were engagement in 1 or more DEB and individual DEBs. STATISTICAL ANALYSES: Logistic regression models, adjusted for demographic covariates and food security status, examined associations of experiencing housing insecurity with engaging in 1 or more DEB as well as individual DEBs (ie, skipping meals or fasting, having low interest in food, extremely picky eating, or binge eating) in male and female adolescents. RESULTS: Housing insecurity was significantly associated with greater odds of engaging in 1 or more DEB in female adolescents (odds ratio [OR] 1.52; 95% CI, 1.07 to 2.15). Housing insecurity also was significantly associated with greater odds of low interest in food (OR 1.64; 95% CI, 1.07 to 2.51) and extremely picky eating (OR 1.89; 95% CI, 1.20 to 2.99) in female adolescents. CONCLUSIONS: Study findings indicate that housing insecurity is associated with certain DEBs in female adolescents, independent of food security status. Additional research is needed to elucidate mechanisms linking housing insecurity and DEBs in adolescents.