Food Insecurity among In-school Adolescents in Ghana: What are the Determinants?

ABSTRACT

This study sought to examine the prevalence and determinants of food insecurity among in-school adolescents in Ghana. Both bivariate and multivariate analyses were done. The results showed that 57.8% of in-school adolescents had experienced food insecurity. Age [AOR = 1.61; CI = 1.22–2.12], grade [AOR = 1.69; CI = 1.19–2.40], being bullied [AOR = 1.81; CI = 1.39–2.35] and suicidal ideation [AOR = 0.70; CI = 0.50–0.94] were associated with food insecurity. Understanding the prevalence of food insecurity among in-school adolescents in Ghana is useful in providing interventions in schools that will provide alternative feeding for students.

KEYWORDS:

• Food insecurity
• in-school adolescents
• Ghana
• determinants

Acknowledgments

We wish to thank the students who participated in the study as well as the World Health Organization for making Ghana 2012 Global School-based Student Health Survey data set freely accessible.