Food Insecurity Status and Associated Factors among Rural Households in North-East of Iran

Background: To assess the prevalence of food insecurity and associated factors among rural households in north-east of Iran.

Methods: In this cross-sectional study, a total of 4647 rural households (18,061 persons) were studied in Neyshabur, a city in north-east of Iran. The Iranian version of the Six-Item Short questionnaire of Household Food Security Scale was used to measure food insecurity. Logistic regression model was used to estimate odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI).

Results: Total prevalence of food insecurity in this study was 40.9% (95% CI 39.49-42.31). Backward Multivariate Logistic Regression model showed that OR of food insecurity increased with: The presence of chronic disease in household in comparison the absence (OR = 2.02), the rural distance >30 km from the city in comparison the distance ≤30 km (OR = 1.41), the presence of smoker in household in comparison the absence (OR = 1.8), the residential infrastructure of household ≤50 m(2) in comparison the >50 m(2) (OR = 1.57), the presence of single parent in comparison the presence of both parents at home (OR = 1.38) and the household income (per month) <4,000,000 Rial in comparison the ≥4,000,000 Rial (OR = 3.91). But OR of food insecurity decreased with having a car in family in comparison not having (OR = 0.54) and the family having a house in comparison not having (OR = 0.61).

Conclusions: According to results of this study, food insecurity is prevalent among rural households of Neyshabur, so it is an important public health problem in this region.