Household food insecurity and its related socioeconomic and nutritional factors among northwest Iranian high-school students

Abstract

Objective: To determine family food insecurity status and its related socioeconomic and nutritional factors among northwest Iranian highschool students. Methodology: This descriptive, analytical crosssectional study was conducted on 480 students (277 boys and 203 girls; aged 14-17 years) along with their mothers from high schools in the spring 2015 in East Azerbaijan, Iran. During random cluster sampling, general socio-economic questionnaires, 18-items food security questionnaires and food frequency questionnaires (FFQ) were completed through face to face interviews. Weight and height of participants were measured. Results: The prevalence of household food insecurity was 48.3%. Among the variables, family size, education level of parents, parental job status, household economic status, size of home, parents age, height-for age z-scores and mothers body mass index (BMI) were significantly associated with food security status (P<0.05). Based on the results of FFQ, students who belonged to food-insecure households had higher intakes of bread and potato whereas they less frequently consumed rice, lentil, cotyledon, beans, red meat, poultry, fish, egg, milk, yogurt, root vegetables, salad and leafy vegetables, apple, orange, kiwi, watermelon and peach (P<0.05). Conclusions: The prevalence of household food insecurity was high. More attention must be paid to this group.