COVID-19-induced Food Insecurity and Adolescent Wellbeing - One Year Post-COVID

Abstract This study examines the relationship between COVID-19-induced food insecurity (C-FI) and adolescent wellbeing one year after the height of the pandemic in Nigeria. Drawing on Pearlin’s Stress Process Model, the study investigates how pandemic-related food insecurity relates to three indicators of subjective wellbeing: life satisfaction, perceived life improvement, and optimism. Data were derived from 7,246 adolescents aged 15–17 in the nationally representative 2021 Nigeria Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS-6). C-FI was measured using the Food Insecurity Experience Scale (FIES), adapted to identify experiences specifically linked to COVID-19 disruptions. Binary logistic regression analyses showed no significant associations between either the experience or severity of C-FI and the selected wellbeing outcomes. However, moderation analysis revealed that regional and gender differences significantly influenced these relationships. Notably, adolescents in the SouthWest and South East zones reported higher life satisfaction and optimism despite experiencing food insecurity, suggesting the presence of contextual protective factors. In contrast, female adolescents experiencing food insecurity were less likely to report optimism, highlighting gender-based disparities in psychosocial vulnerability. Findings suggest that the psychological effects of C-FI may be diminished in contexts where food insecurity is chronic and normalized. The results underscore the importance of considering structural poverty, regional disparities, and gender when evaluating adolescent wellbeing in post-crisis settings. This study contributes to the limited body of research on the mid-term mental health impacts of COVID-19 among adolescents in low-income settings and highlights the need for regionally tailored and gender-sensitive interventions.