Authors : S. Hoseinikhorrami , S. Dastgiri , F. Bakhtari and H. Tutunchi
Abstract: Food security is defined as access by all people at all times to enough food for an active, healthy life. Food insecurity and hunger not only affect physical health, but also have social and psychological consequences. The aim of this study was to represents the prevalence of food insecurity in the northwest region of Iran. This cross-sectional study was carried out on 405 family selected randomly in Marand area of the northwest of Iran to determine families who live in rural and urban areas where access to food supplys whether influenced by economical status or nutritional knowledge. The survey instrument included 3 questionnaire about the frequency of 50 food items consumption, 24 h food recall questionnaire for 3 days of a week, food availability, economical status and nutritional attitude. The intake of all micronutrients in men were significantly higher than in women. Also the intake of macronutrients in rural areas were significantly higher than in urban areas. The percent of total calorie intake was concentrated on fat and protein more than on carbohydrate. Vitamin A, folate, vit C and selenium intakes were lower in rural areas. The prevalence of severe and moderate food insecurity were not noticeable (8, 7%, respectively) but the prevalence of high intake was more than 50% of the total society (52%). The rate of nutritional knowledge in urban was higher than in rural area (4.9% vs 2.8%). Also the nutritional attitude of this families was at the low level (67.4% of the urban families vs 84.5% of the rural families). Our findings indicated that food insecurity was prevalent in the northwest of Iran and our view of the food security challenge facing governments is, The promotion of free trade in the region, improvement in infrastructure, optimally placed to promote trade and coordination of government actions to develop futures and options markets.
S. Hoseinikhorrami , S. Dastgiri , F. Bakhtari and H. Tutunchi , 2007. Epidemiology of Food Insecurity in the North West of Iran . Research Journal of Biological Sciences, 2: 472-475.