Food insecurity was negatively associated with adherence to the "fruits, vegetables, and foods rich in animal protein" dietary pattern among university students' households: the 2018 Mexican National Household Survey.

BACKGROUND: University students are often affected by food insecurity (FI) and this situation has been associated with low consumption of fruit/vegetables and high intake of added sugars and sweet drinks. However, there needs to be more evidence on the association between FI and dietary patterns (DPs), assessing the overall diet and allowing analysis of commonly consumed food combinations. We aimed to analyze the association between FI and DPs in university students' households. METHODS: We used data from 7659 university student households from the 2018 Mexican National Household Income and Expenditure Survey (ENIGH, for its acronym in Spanish). We obtained FI levels (mild, moderate, and severe) using the validated Mexican Food Security Scale (EMSA, Spanish acronym). Two DPs were identified by principal component analysis based on the weekly frequency of consumption of 12 food groups. Multivariate logistic regression adjusted by university student and household's characteristics was applied. RESULTS: Compared to food security, households with mild-FI (OR:0.34; 95%CI:0.30, 0.40), moderate-FI (OR:0.20; 95%CI:0.16, 0.24) or severe-FI (OR:0.14; 95%CI:0.11, 0.19) were less likely to adhere to the dietary pattern "Fruits, vegetables and foods rich in animal protein" (fruits, vegetables, meat, fish or seafood, dairy products, and starchy vegetables). In addition, people with severe-FI (OR:0.51; 95% CI:0.34, 0.76) were also less likely to adhere to the dietary pattern "Traditional-Westernized" (pulses, oils or fats, sugar, sweets, industrialized drinks, foods made from corn/maize, wheat, rice, oats or bran, coffee, tea and eggs). CONCLUSIONS: In these households FI impairs the ability to consume a healthy dietary pattern (fruits/vegetables and foods rich in animal protein). In addition, the intake of foods typical of the Mexican food culture reflecting the local Western dietary pattern is compromised in households with severe-FI.

Prevalence and Risk Factors of Food Insecurity among Mexican University Students' Households.

Household food insecurity (FI) remains a major public health challenge worldwide. Data about perceived FI and its risk factors in Mexican university students are lacking. We aimed to assess FI's prevalence and factors affecting it among university students' households in Mexico. This cross-sectional analysis involved 7671 university students' households using the 2018 Mexican National of Household Income and Expenditure Survey data. Variables analyzed included sociodemographic characteristics, and the 12-item validated Mexican Scale for Food Security (EMSA). Multivariable logistic regression modelling was performed to identify FI risk factors. The overall household FI prevalence was 30.8%. According to FI severity, prevalence rates were 16.3% for mild-FI, 8.8% for moderate-FI, and 5.7% for severe-FI. Low socioeconomic status (OR = 2.72; 95%CI: 2.09-3.54), low education level of household's head (OR = 2.36; 95%CI: 1.90-2.94), self-ascription to an indigenous group (OR = 1.59; 95%CI: 1.41-1.79), attending public university (OR = 1.27; 95%CI: 1.13-1.43), female-headed household (OR = 1.26; 95%CI: 1.13-1.40), having worked recently (OR = 1.19; 95%CI: 1.07-1.33), and being in second year of studies (OR = 1.17; 95%CI: 1.03-1.33), were significantly related to FI. Our results confirm that FI is highly prevalent among Mexican university students' households and that sociodemographic factors are essential in addressing this concern. Findings highlight the need for preventive programs and policies to alleviate FI.