Food insecurity and youth suicidal behaviours: Evidence from the Canadian Health Survey of Children and Youth.

Objective: Youth suicide, a major cause of death, is linked to poverty and other adverse experiences. Evidence of its association with food insecurity is unclear due to inadequate controls for household income in previous research. This cross-sectional study used independent reports of household income, food insecurity, and suicidal behaviours to examine these associations in a population-based sample.

Methods: The 2019 Canadian Health Survey on Children and Youth surveyed 6735 youth (15-17 years), gathering data on sadness/hopelessness, suicidal ideation, and suicide attempts. Adults provided information on household food insecurity using a multi-item scale and about diagnosed mood disorders in youth. Household income data were provided by government tax records. We used Poisson regressions to estimate the relative risk (RR) of each suicidal behaviour attributed to household food insecurity, adjusting for household income and other covariates.

Results: Approximately one in five (19.8%) youth experienced marginal (5.2%), moderate (7.9%), or severe (3.3%) food insecurity. Moderate or severe food insecurity was associated with increased risks of sadness/hopelessness, mood disorder, suicide ideation, and suicide attempts (RRs 1.30-2.17) after controlling for household income differences and other covariates. Generally, more severe food insecurity was positively associated with suicide behaviours.

Conclusion: Household food insecurity is associated with youth suicidal behaviours, independently of household income. Its underlying pathway to youth mental health includes social and psychological factors that require targeted policy intervention.