Non-Cochrane · aetiology · PM41982495
The Association Between Food Insecurity and Adverse Health Outcomes in Children and Adolescents: An Umbrella Review.
Moosavian Seyedeh Parisa, Awlqadr Farhang Hameed, Mehrabani Sanaz, et al. · Food science & nutrition · 2026 · PubMed · doi:10.1002/fsn3.71625
Findings
Population Children and adolescents (<18 years)
20 findings
| Food insecurity (food insecure household) | Food secure household | Suicide attempt (adolescents) Observational studies of children and adolescents | OR 1.05 [0.91, 1.22] Low Downgraded: imprecision, inconsistency 18 studies · 44656 participants |
| Food insecurity (food insecure household) | Food secure household | Underweight Observational studies of children and adolescents | OR 1.16 [0.98, 1.38] Low Downgraded: imprecision, inconsistency 13 studies · 37063 participants |
| Food insecurity (food insecure household) | Food secure household | Externalizing behavior/hyperactivity Observational studies of children and adolescents | OR 1.18 [0.79, 1.76] Very low Downgraded: imprecision, inconsistency, indirectness 3 studies · 6738 participants |
| Food insecurity (food insecure household) | Food secure household | Dental caries Observational studies of children and adolescents | OR 1.70 [1.43, 2.03] Low Downgraded: inconsistency, indirectness 16 studies · 129774 participants |
| Food insecurity (food insecure household) | Food secure household | Cognitive/math development disorder Observational studies of children and adolescents | OR 0.84 [0.73, 0.96] Low Downgraded: imprecision, indirectness 3 studies · 13392 participants |
| Food insecurity (food insecure household) | Food secure household | Suicide plan (adolescents) Observational studies of children and adolescents | OR 1.32 [1.14, 1.54] Moderate Downgraded: inconsistency 11 studies · 27667 participants |
| Food insecurity (food insecure household) | Food secure household | Internalizing behavior/anxiety Observational studies of children and adolescents | OR 1.14 [0.82, 1.57] Very low Downgraded: imprecision, inconsistency, indirectness 3 studies · 2518 participants |
| Food insecurity (food insecure household) | Food secure household | Anemia Observational studies of children and adolescents | OR 1.50 [1.23, 1.82] Moderate Downgraded: inconsistency 19 studies · 63996 participants |
| Food insecurity (food insecure household) | Food secure household | Internalizing behavior Observational studies of children and adolescents | OR 1.48 [0.70, 3.15] Very low Downgraded: imprecision, inconsistency, indirectness 2 studies · 3038 participants |
| Food insecurity (food insecure household) | Food secure household | Developmental risk (early childhood development disorders) Observational studies of children and adolescents | OR 1.32 [1.10, 1.59] Moderate Downgraded: indirectness 3 studies · 75144 participants |
| Food insecurity (food insecure household) | Food secure household | Cognitive/vocabulary development disorder Observational studies of children and adolescents | OR 0.92 [0.83, 1.02] Low Downgraded: imprecision, indirectness 2 studies · 10990 participants |
| Food insecurity (food insecure household) | Food secure household | Stunting Observational studies of children and adolescents | OR 1.12 [1.05, 1.19] Moderate Downgraded: inconsistency 19 studies · 57167 participants |
| Food insecurity (food insecure household) | Food secure household | Suicide ideation (adolescents) Observational studies of children and adolescents | OR 1.08 [1.01, 1.16] Moderate Downgraded: inconsistency 30 studies · 82869 participants |
| Food insecurity (food insecure household) | Food secure household | Wasting Observational studies of children and adolescents | OR 1.04 [0.96, 1.13] Moderate Downgraded: imprecision 5 studies · 2701 participants |
| Food insecurity (food insecure household) | Food secure household | Cognitive/school readiness and reading development disorder Observational studies of children and adolescents | OR 0.91 [0.82, 1.00] Low Downgraded: imprecision, indirectness 3 studies · 14646 participants |
| Food insecurity (food insecure household) | Food secure household | Motor development disorder Observational studies of children and adolescents | OR 0.91 [0.80, 1.04] Moderate Downgraded: imprecision 2 studies · 8204 participants |
| Food insecurity (food insecure household) | Food secure household | Overweight Observational studies of children and adolescents | OR 1.08 [0.99, 1.18] Very low Downgraded: imprecision, inconsistency, indirectness 11 studies · 50389 participants |
| Food insecurity (food insecure household) | Food secure household | Unspecified suicide (adolescents) Observational studies of children and adolescents | OR 1.54 [0.60, 3.98] Low Downgraded: imprecision, inconsistency 2 studies · 7662 participants |
| Food insecurity (food insecure household) | Food secure household | Obesity Observational studies of children and adolescents | OR 1.16 [1.06, 1.27] Moderate Downgraded: indirectness 21 studies · 111286 participants |
| Food insecurity (food insecure household) | Food secure household | Externalizing behavior Observational studies of children and adolescents | OR 1.25 [1.08, 1.44] Low Downgraded: inconsistency, indirectness 6 studies · 14211 participants |
Included primary studies 106
Open in Studies| Study | Year | Also included by | Outcomes it informs here | Trial data |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zhou 2023 matched by author and year (probable) | NR | 2 other reviews | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Angelopoulou et al. 2019 matched by author and year (probable) | NR | 1 other review | Dental caries | not extracted yet |
| Frazao et al. 2014 matched by author and year (probable) | NR | 1 other review | Dental caries | not extracted yet |
| Park et al. 2009 matched by author and year (probable) | NR | 1 other review | Anemia | not extracted yet |
| Shen et al. 2015 matched by author and year (probable) | NR | 1 other review | Anemia | not extracted yet |
| Singh et al. 2014 matched by author and year (probable) | NR | 1 other review | Stunting; Underweight | not extracted yet |
| Ahmadihoseini et al. 2019 matched by author and year (probable) | NR | this review only | Underweight | not extracted yet |
| Alaimo et al. 2001 matched by author and year (probable) | NR | this review only | Overweight | not extracted yet |
| Alaimo et al. 2002 matched by author and year (probable) | NR | this review only | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Alemayehu et al. 2018 matched by author and year (probable) | NR | this review only | Anemia | not extracted yet |
| Almansour et al. 2017 matched by author and year (probable) | NR | this review only | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Altangerel et al. 2014 matched by author and year (probable) | NR | this review only | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Arat et al. 2017 matched by author and year (probable) | NR | this review only | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Bahanan et al. 2021 matched by author and year (probable) | NR | this review only | Dental caries | not extracted yet |
| Basirat et al. 2012 matched by author and year (probable) | NR | this review only | Obesity; Underweight | not extracted yet |
| Belachew 2020 Under-five anemia and its associated factors with dietary diversity, food security, stunted, and deworming in Ethiopia: systematic review… PMID:32051034 | 2020 | this review only | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Belayne et al. 2021 matched by author and year (probable) | NR | this review only | Stunting | not extracted yet |
| Benjamin-Neelon et al. 2020 matched by author and year (probable) | NR | this review only | Obesity; Overweight | not extracted yet |
| Betebo et al. 2017 matched by author and year (probable) | NR | this review only | Stunting; Wasting; Underweight | not extracted yet |
| Bhawra et al. 2017 matched by author and year (probable) | NR | this review only | Obesity | not extracted yet |
| Black et al. 2012 matched by author and year (probable) | NR | this review only | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Braunstein et al. 2008 matched by author and year (probable) | NR | this review only | Dental caries | not extracted yet |
| Campbell et al. 2011 matched by author and year (probable) | NR | this review only | Anemia | not extracted yet |
| Casey et al. 2006 matched by author and year (probable) | NR | this review only | Overweight | not extracted yet |
| Cook et al. 2006 matched by author and year (probable) | NR | this review only | Stunting | not extracted yet |
| de Oliveira 2020 Household food insecurity and early childhood development: Systematic review and meta-analysis. PMID:32052571 | 2020 | this review only | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Dema et al. 2019 matched by author and year (probable) | NR | this review only | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Derakhshandeh-Rishehri 2022 matched by author and year (probable) | NR | this review only | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Drennen et al. 2019 matched by author and year (probable) | NR | this review only | Obesity | not extracted yet |
| Drumond 2023 Burden of dental caries in individuals experiencing food insecurity: a systematic review and meta-analysis. PMID:37040617 | 2023 | this review only | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Dubois et al. 2006 matched by author and year (probable) | NR | this review only | Overweight | not extracted yet |
| Eicher-Miller et al. 2009 matched by author and year (probable) | NR | this review only | Anemia | not extracted yet |
| Eskandari 2022 A mixed-method systematic review and meta-analysis of the influences of food environments and food insecurity on obesity in high-income… PMID:36348796 | 2022 | this review only | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Farzaneh et al. 2017 matched by author and year (probable) | NR | this review only | Obesity; Underweight | not extracted yet |
| Ferreira et al. 2019 matched by author and year (probable) | NR | this review only | Dental caries | not extracted yet |
| Finch et al. 2018 matched by author and year (probable) | NR | this review only | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Fischer et al. 2014 matched by author and year (probable) | NR | this review only | Anemia | not extracted yet |
| Gill et al. 2018 matched by author and year (probable) | NR | this review only | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Gubert et al. 2016 matched by author and year (probable) | NR | this review only | Anemia; Overweight | not extracted yet |
| Gundersen et al. 2008 matched by author and year (probable) | NR | this review only | Obesity; Overweight | not extracted yet |
| Gundersen et al. 2009 matched by author and year (probable) | NR | this review only | Obesity | not extracted yet |
| Habib et al. 2016 matched by author and year (probable) | NR | this review only | Anemia | not extracted yet |
| Hagos et al. 2017 matched by author and year (probable) | NR | this review only | Stunting | not extracted yet |
| Herandez et al. 2009 matched by author and year (probable) | NR | this review only | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Hobbs et al. 2018 matched by author and year (probable) | NR | this review only | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Holben et al. 2015 matched by author and year (probable) | NR | this review only | Obesity; Overweight | not extracted yet |
| Huang et al. 2018 matched by author and year (probable) | NR | this review only | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Isanaka et al. 2007 matched by author and year (probable) | NR | this review only | Stunting; Underweight | not extracted yet |
| Jackson et al. 2021 matched by author and year (probable) | NR | this review only | Dental caries | not extracted yet |
| Jafari et al. 2017 matched by author and year (probable) | NR | this review only | Obesity | not extracted yet |
| Johnson et al. 2018 matched by author and year (probable) | NR | this review only | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Jones et al. 2016 matched by author and year (probable) | NR | this review only | Anemia; Obesity | not extracted yet |
| Kabalo et al. 2022 matched by author and year (probable) | NR | this review only | Stunting | not extracted yet |
| Kaggwa 2023 The global burden of suicidal behavior among people experiencing food insecurity: A systematic review and meta-analysis. PMID:37704054 | 2023 | this review only | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Kaur et al. 2015 matched by author and year (probable) | NR | this review only | Obesity | not extracted yet |
| Koyratti et al. 2022 matched by author and year (probable) | NR | this review only | Stunting | not extracted yet |
| Kwangu et al. 2017 matched by author and year (probable) | NR | this review only | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Lisbôa et al. 2015 matched by author and year (probable) | NR | this review only | Anemia | not extracted yet |
| Mahmudiono et al. 2018 matched by author and year (probable) | NR | this review only | Stunting | not extracted yet |
| Martin et al. 2007 matched by author and year (probable) | NR | this review only | Obesity; Underweight; Overweight | not extracted yet |
| Mazaba et al. 2017 matched by author and year (probable) | NR | this review only | not stated | not extracted yet |
| McDonald et al. 2014 matched by author and year (probable) | NR | this review only | Stunting; Wasting | not extracted yet |
| Melako et al. 2018 matched by author and year (probable) | NR | this review only | Anemia | not extracted yet |
| Metallinos et al. 2012 matched by author and year (probable) | NR | this review only | Obesity; Underweight | not extracted yet |
| Metallinos-Katsaras et al. 2016 matched by author and year (probable) | NR | this review only | Anemia | not extracted yet |
| Mikens et al. 2019 matched by author and year (probable) | NR | this review only | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Milner et al. 2018 matched by author and year (probable) | NR | this review only | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Moradi 2018 Food insecurity and anaemia risk: a systematic review and meta-analysis. PMID:30021665 | 2018 | this review only | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Moradi 2019 Food insecurity and the risk of undernutrition complications among children and adolescents: A systematic review and meta-analysis. PMID:30852458 | 2019 | this review only | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Mulenga et al. 2017 matched by author and year (probable) | NR | this review only | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Mutisya et al. 2015 matched by author and year (probable) | NR | this review only | Stunting | not extracted yet |
| Nagata et al. 2018 matched by author and year (probable) | NR | this review only | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Nair et al. 2016 matched by author and year (probable) | NR | this review only | Anemia | not extracted yet |
| Namirembe et al. 2022 matched by author and year (probable) | NR | this review only | Stunting | not extracted yet |
| Naser et al. 2014 matched by author and year (probable) | NR | this review only | Stunting; Wasting; Underweight | not extracted yet |
| Nii-Boye Quarshie et al. 2022 matched by author and year (probable) | NR | this review only | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Njunju et al. 2017 matched by author and year (probable) | NR | this review only | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Nkurunziza et al. 2017 matched by author and year (probable) | NR | this review only | Stunting | not extracted yet |
| Nyundo et al. 2020 matched by author and year (probable) | NR | this review only | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Obradovic et al. 2016 matched by author and year (probable) | NR | this review only | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Oppong Asante et al. 2017 matched by author and year (probable) | NR | this review only | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Osei et al. 2010 matched by author and year (probable) | NR | this review only | Anemia; Stunting; Underweight | not extracted yet |
| Pandey et al. 2019 matched by author and year (probable) | NR | this review only | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Patriota 2024 Association between household food insecurity and stunting in children aged 0-59 months: Systematic review and meta-analysis of cohort… PMID:38196291 | 2024 | this review only | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Pengpid et al. 2020 matched by author and year (probable) | NR | this review only | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Pirkle et al. 2014 matched by author and year (probable) | NR | this review only | Anemia | not extracted yet |
| Pourmotabbed 2020 The Relationship between Food Insecurity and Risk of Overweight or Obesity in under 18 Years Individuals: A Systematic Review and… PMID:33312467 | 2020 | this review only | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Romo et al. 2016 matched by author and year (probable) | NR | this review only | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Rose et al. 2006 matched by author and year (probable) | NR | this review only | Obesity; Overweight | not extracted yet |
| Rose-Jacobs et al. 2008 matched by author and year (probable) | NR | this review only | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Sabbagh 2023 Food insecurity and dental caries prevalence in children and adolescents: A systematic review and meta-analysis. PMID:36511123 | 2023 | this review only | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Santin et al. 2016 matched by author and year (probable) | NR | this review only | Dental caries | not extracted yet |
| Schmeer et al. 2017 matched by author and year (probable) | NR | this review only | Anemia | not extracted yet |
| Shahraki et al. 2016 matched by author and year (probable) | NR | this review only | Stunting; Wasting; Underweight | not extracted yet |
| Shayo et al. 2019 matched by author and year (probable) | NR | this review only | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Shinsugi et al. 2015 matched by author and year (probable) | NR | this review only | Stunting | not extracted yet |
| Siziya et al. 2017 matched by author and year (probable) | NR | this review only | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Skalicky et al. 2006 matched by author and year (probable) | NR | this review only | Anemia | not extracted yet |
| Speirs et al. 2016 matched by author and year (probable) | NR | this review only | Underweight | not extracted yet |
| Swindle et al. 2018 matched by author and year (probable) | NR | this review only | Overweight | not extracted yet |
| Teevale et al. 2016 matched by author and year (probable) | NR | this review only | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Tiku et al. 2018 matched by author and year (probable) | NR | this review only | Anemia | not extracted yet |
| Tsai et al. 2021 matched by author and year (probable) | NR | this review only | Dental caries | not extracted yet |
| Whitaker et al. 2006 matched by author and year (probable) | NR | this review only | Obesity | not extracted yet |
| Wolde et al. 2015 matched by author and year (probable) | NR | this review only | Stunting; Wasting; Underweight | not extracted yet |
| Ziaei et al. 2017 matched by author and year (probable) | NR | this review only | not stated | not extracted yet |
Overlap with other reviews
Reviews that include the same primary studies are not independent evidence. Shared counts match studies by PMID, DOI or NCT, and otherwise by author and year (a probable match). Only the non-Cochrane dental reviews have study lists, so overlap with Cochrane reviews is not counted yet.
Review question
| Element | Planned (methods) | Found (results) |
|---|---|---|
| Population | Children and adolescents (<18 years) | Children and adolescents (<18 years); 557,700 individuals across pooled analyses (12 meta-analyses, 108 pooled analyses) |
| Intervention | Food insecure household (exposure) | Food insecurity (HFSSM, HFIAS, ELCSA and other scales) |
| Comparison | Food secure household | Food secure households |
| Outcomes | Anemia, obesity, overweight, stunting, underweight, wasting, dental caries, suicidal behaviors, early childhood development disorders | Anemia (n=19), obesity (n=21), overweight (n=11), stunting (n=19), underweight (n=13), wasting (n=5), dental caries (n=16), suicide ideation (n=30), suicide plan (n=11), suicide attempt (n=18), unspecified suicide (n=2), developmental risk (n=3), motor (n=2), cognitive/vocabulary (n=2), cognitive/math (n=3), cognitive/school readiness and reading (n=3), externalizing behavior (n=6), externalizing behavior/hyperactivity (n=3), internalizing behavior (n=2), internalizing behavior/anxiety (n=3) |
| Study designs | Systematic reviews and meta-analyses of observational studies (case-control, cohort, cross-sectional) | 87 cross-sectional studies (417,096 participants) and 30 cohort or longitudinal studies (140,604 participants) |
| Timing | Not specified | Not specified |