Manage Abstracts

N. Webb1, J. Slater1, N. Nickel2 1Department of Food and Human Nutritional Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, 2Department of Community Health Sciences, Max Rady College of Medicine, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB.

Introduction: Food insecurity is impacted by social determinants of health and a risk factor for poor nutrition. Limited data exists in Manitoba examining determinants affecting food security among adolescents.

Objectives: 1) Describe patterns of food insecurity among Manitoba youth; 2) Identify associations between food security status, diet quality, nutrition/health-related behaviours, and health determinants among this group.

Methods: This cross-sectional study analyzed data collected from grade nine students (n=1587) from 37 Manitoba schools in 2018-2019. Students completed a web-based survey on food security (Child Food Security Survey Module), diet (24-hr diet recall), eating behaviours, and health indicators. As part of the consent process, parents/guardians could provide their child’s personal health identification number (PHIN). Survey data for the PHIN subset of participants (n=947) were linked with health-related variables through the data repository at the Manitoba Centre for Health Policy. Chi-square tests explored associations between demographics, eating behaviours, select health determinants, diet quality (Healthy Eating Index-Canada), and food security status. A multivariable logistic regression model determined associations with food security.

Results: Overall, 20% of participants were food insecure. Eighty-one percent of food secure and 67% food insecure participants’ diets were classified as ‘need improvement’. Food security was positively associated with living in a rural community, living in neighbourhoods with higher median incomes, and eating family dinner more frequently. Living in a northern community and moving residences often were negatively associated with being food secure.

Conclusions: Findings shed light on the intersection of food and nutrition (in)security. While results illustrate a socioeconomic and geographic vulnerability to food insecurity, the diet quality of most adolescents is far from exemplary.

Significance: Both food and nutrition insecurity are significant contemporary threats to public health. These results enhance dietitians’ understanding of the multidimensional nature of this issue and inform advocacy efforts to shape meaningful program and policy directives.

Canadian Institutes of Health Research