Food Environments and Food Security Among Mothers and Children in Northeast Brazil: The Role of Social and Housing Conditions

Background: Perceived characteristics of the food environment may influence individuals’ dietary practices and health outcomes. This study analyzed associations between social and housing conditions, food environment perception, and food security, and their associations with maternal and child nutritional status. Methods: A cross-sectional study conducted between 2022 and 2023 with 314 participants in Vitória de Santo Antão, Pernambuco, Brazil. Socioeconomic variables, housing conditions, perceptions of domestic and community food environments, food security, and anthropometric indicators were assessed using generalized structural equation modeling (GSEM, p < 0.05). Results: Better social and housing conditions were associated with a more favorable perception of the domestic food environment (β = 0.79; 95% CI: 0.23–1.34) and lower food insecurity severity (β = −1.05; 95% CI: −1.62 to −0.48). No significant associations were observed between the domestic food environment and food insecurity, nor between the community food environment and the remaining model variables. No significant indirect associations were identified, indicating no mediation through food environment perceptions. Greater food insecurity severity was positively associated with maternal BMI (β = 0.19 95% CI: 0.002–0.37), and maternal BMI was positively associated with child BMI-for-age (β = 0.25 95% CI: 0.09–0.39). Conclusions: Social and housing conditions play a central role in shaping food security and nutritional outcomes, while food environment perception showed limited relevance. These findings reinforce the need for intersectoral public policies addressing social inequalities and promoting healthy eating.