title: Child-specific food insecurity and its sociodemographic and nutritional determinants among Iranian schoolchildren.
abstract: Despite strong evidence of the prevalence of food insecurity in adults and households with children in different areas of Iran, the prevalence of child-specific food insecurity in Iran and especially in Tabriz has not been evaluated. Therefore, the objective of the current study is to evaluate the prevalence of food insecurity in schoolchildren and to identify its social, demographic, and nutritional determinants in Tabriz, Iran. This cross-sectional study was conducted between April and September 2014 among 330 schoolchildren aged 7-11 years comprising 170 boys and 160 girls from ten public schools in Tabriz, Iran. Demographic and socioeconomic factors had been obtained from participants. Food security status was assessed by an eight-item U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food Security Module previously validated for use in Iran. Dietary information was obtained by a food frequency questionnaire (FFQ). In our findings, the prevalence of food insecurity among children was 30% with 29.1% being low food secure and 0.9% being very low food secure. Mean weight for age Z-score (WAZ) in the food insecure group was significantly lower than in the food secure group. The prevalence of food insecurity was more prevalent in boys (p = .006). Food insecure children had a significantly lower intake of energy, carbohydrate, protein, and meat (p < .001) and higher prevalence of wasting compared with their counterparts in the food secure group (p = .004). These results suggest a proportionally high prevalence of food insecurity in schoolchildren in Tabriz and its significant association with poor nutritional status and dietary habits. Our findings also ensures the necessity of nutritional support programs and nutritional education in Iranian low-income families to improve their overall health.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Nutrition in Community , School of Nutrition, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences , Tabriz , Iran.
authors.forename: Beytollah
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Alipour
authors.affiliation: a Department of Nutrition in Community , School of Nutrition, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences , Tabriz , Iran.
authors.forename: Mahdieh
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Abbasalizad Farhangi
authors.affiliation: a Department of Nutrition in Community , School of Nutrition, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences , Tabriz , Iran.
authors.forename: Somayye
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Asghari
authors.affiliation: a Department of Nutrition in Community , School of Nutrition, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences , Tabriz , Iran.
authors.forename: Farshad
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Amirkhizi
authors.affiliation: a Department of Nutrition in Community , School of Nutrition, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences , Tabriz , Iran.
authors.forename: Monireh
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dahri
authors.affiliation: a Department of Nutrition in Community , School of Nutrition, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences , Tabriz , Iran.
authors.forename: Nasim
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Abedimanesh
authors.affiliation: a Department of Nutrition in Community , School of Nutrition, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences , Tabriz , Iran.
authors.forename: Alireza
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Farsad-Naimi
authors.affiliation: a Department of Nutrition in Community , School of Nutrition, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences , Tabriz , Iran.
authors.forename: Shiva
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hojegani
mesh_terms: D015992:Body Mass Index; D002648:Child; D002664:Child Nutritional Physiological Phenomena / Q000208:ethnology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004032:Diet / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology; D005191:Family Characteristics / Q000208:ethnology; D005260:Female; D005523:Food Supply / Q000191:economics; D006130:Growth Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D007492:Iran / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D044342:Malnutrition / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D015995:Prevalence; D012574:Schools; D057566:Self Report; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012737:Sex Factors; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013851:Thinness / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology / Q000209:etiology*; D014504:Urban Health / Q000208:ethnology; D019282:Wasting Syndrome / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology / Q000209:etiology
keywords: Food security; Tabriz; school children; undernutrition