title: Household Food Insecurity Is Associated with Nutritional Status among Iranian Children.
abstract: This cross-sectional study was conducted to determine household food security status and sociodemographic factors influencing it and to examine whether food insecurity of household is a risk factor for underweight, stunting, and thinness in primary school children of Sistan and Baluchestan Province in southeastern Iran. A sample of 610 students aged 7-11 years was selected by a multistage cluster random sampling method during December 2013-May 2014. Using U.S. Department of Agriculture Food Security questionnaire, 42.3% of households showed some degree of food insecurity. Food insecurity was positively associated with household size (p = .002) and number of children per household (p = .001) and negatively associated with mother's and father's education level (p = .005 and p = .042, respectively), father's occupation status, and household income (p < .0001). Children living in food insecure with severe hunger households were 10.13, 10.07, and 4.54 times as likely to be underweight, stunted, and thin, respectively, as counterparts from food secure households. The findings showed food insecurity was prevalent and associated with sociodemographic factors among households with schoolchildren in southeastern Iran. Nutritional status of children was also associated with food security status of their households.
authors: a Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Faculty of Public Health , Tehran University of Medical Sciences , Tehran , Iran.
authors: Soudabeh Hamedi
authors: SH
authors: Shahraki
authors: b Department of Nutrition, Faculty of Public Health , Zabol University of Medical Sciences , Zabol , Iran.
authors: Farshad
authors: F
authors: Amirkhizi
authors: c Department of Food Science and Technology, Faculty of Nutrition and Food Sciences , Tabriz University of Medical Sciences , Tabriz , Iran.
authors: Behzad
authors: B
authors: Amirkhizi
authors: d Department of Surgery, Shahid Beheshti Hospital , Isfahan University of Medical Sciences , Isfahan , Iran.
authors: Sousan
authors: S
authors: Hamedi
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D002664:Child Nutritional Physiological Phenomena / Q000208:ethnology; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004032:Diet / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology; D004522:Educational Status; D005191:Family Characteristics / Q000208:ethnology; D005260:Female; D005523:Food Supply / Q000191:economics; D006130:Growth Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D007182:Income; D007492:Iran / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D044342:Malnutrition / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D009749:Nutrition Surveys; D009752:Nutritional Status / Q000208:ethnology; D010290:Parents; D012307:Risk Factors; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013334:Students; D013851:Thinness / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology / Q000209:etiology*
keywords: Iran; food insecurity; nutritional status; schoolchildren