Food Security among Pregnant Women and Its Relationship with Body Mass Index in Eastern Iran

Abstract

Background: Food insecurity is recognized as a serious public health problem worldwide. Since pregnant women are among the most vulnerable groups and their food insecurity may cause complications during pregnancy and on their newborns, the aim of this study is to investigate the relationship between food security and body mass index (BMI) of pregnant women in eastern Iran. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on 335 pregnant women in 10 health centers in the east of Iran. Participants were selected by random cluster sampling. Data were collected using standard questionnaires including 18-item household food security survey module (HFSSM) designed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and nutritional evaluation forms. Results: The mean scores of the HFSSM of all pregnant women were 7.2±4.3. The household food security of pregnant women was significantly related to the occupation of spouses, mother's education, monthly salary, private home, and mother's age (P<0.05). There was no significant relationship between food security and BMI (P=0.98). Conclusions: Based on the results, few people have food security. Pregnancy in older age, lower-income, and education affected the household food security. Appropriate strategies and policies are necessary to combat this problem.

Keywords

• household food security
• pregnant women
• food insecurity
• body mass index