title: Household Food Insecurity May Predict Underweightand Wasting among Children Aged 24-59 Months.
abstract: The aim of this study was to examine the association between household food insecurity and nutritional status among children aged 24-59 months in Haromaya District. Children (N = 453) aged 24-59 months were recruited in a community-based cross-sectional survey with a representative sample of households selected by a multistage sampling procedure in Haromaya District. Household Food Insecurity Access Scale and anthropometry were administered. Multinomial logistic regression models were applied to select variables that are candidate for multivariable model. The prevalences of stunting, underweight, and wasting among children aged 24-59 months were 61.1%, 28.1%, and 11.8%, respectively. The mean household food insecurity access scale score was 3.34, and 39.7% of households experienced some degree of food insecurity. By logistic regression analysis and after adjusting for the confounding factors, household food insecurity was significantly predictive of underweight (AOR = 2.48, CI = 1.17-5.24, p = .05) and chronic energy deficiency (AOR = 0.47, CI = 0.23-0.97, p = .04) and marginally significant for wasting (AOR = 0.53, CI = 0.27-1.03, p = .06). It is concluded that household food security improves child growth and nutritional status.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Community Nutrition, School of Nutritional Sciences and Dietetics , Tehran University of Medical Sciences, International Campus (TUMS-IC) , Tehran , Iran.
authors.forename: Ahmed A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Abdurahman
authors.affiliation: b Department of Community Nutrition, School of Nutritional Sciences and Dietetics , Tehran University of Medical Sciences , Tehran , Iran.
authors.forename: Khadijeh
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Mirzaei
authors.affiliation: b Department of Community Nutrition, School of Nutritional Sciences and Dietetics , Tehran University of Medical Sciences , Tehran , Iran.
authors.forename: Ahmed Reza
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Dorosty
authors.affiliation: c Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health , Tehran University of Medical Sciences , Tehran , Iran.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rahimiforoushani
authors.affiliation: d College of Health and Medical Sciences , Haramaya University , Harar , Ethiopia.
authors.forename: Haji
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kedir
mesh_terms: D015992:Body Mass Index; D002657:Child Development; D002664:Child Nutritional Physiological Phenomena / Q000208:ethnology; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015986:Confounding Factors, Epidemiologic; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004032:Diet / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000191:economics / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology; D002149:Energy Intake / Q000208:ethnology; D005002:Ethiopia / Q000453:epidemiology; D005191:Family Characteristics / Q000208:ethnology; D005260:Female; D005523:Food Supply / Q000191:economics; D006130:Growth Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D044342:Malnutrition / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D018803:Models, Economic; D009749:Nutrition Surveys; D015995:Prevalence; D012423:Rural Health / Q000208:ethnology; D013851:Thinness / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology / Q000209:etiology*; D019282:Wasting Syndrome / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology / Q000209:etiology*
keywords: Ethiopia; household food insecurity; preschool children; undernutrition