scholarly journals Household Food Insecurity and Mental Health Among Teenage Girls Living in Urban Slums in Varanasi, India: A Cross-Sectional Study

Author(s):  
Divya Rani ◽  
Jitendra Singh ◽  
Dilaram Acharya ◽  
Rajan Paudel ◽  
Kwan Lee ◽  
...  

This study was undertaken to investigate the relation between household food insecurity and mental health problems in teenage girls living in urban slums. This community-based cross-sectional study was conducted in 5 urban slums in Varanasi, India, between September 2016 and July 2017. A probability proportion to size (PPS) method was employed to select 5 of 210 urban slums at a first stage, and in the second stage, 418 teenage girls were chosen randomly from selected households. The Household Food Insecurity Access Scale (HFIAS) and mental health inventory tools were employed to assess food insecurity and mental health status. Multivariable logistic regression analysis with at a 95% confidence interval (CI) was used to assess the association between household food insecurity and mental health status. Of 418 respondents, 47.6% were food insecure; 64.1%, 57.7%, and 58.4% had high levels of anxiety, depression, or psychological distress, respectively; and 57.2% exhibited a medium level of loss of behavioral control. Furthermore, teenage girls from food insecure households were more likely to have high levels of anxiety, depression, loss of behavioral control and psychological distress than those living in food secure households. This study shows food insecurity is independently associated with mental health problems among teenage girls. Food insecurity in Indian slums should be addressed by specific public health intervention programs that provide access to sufficient safe, nutritious food.

2021 ◽  
Vol 27 (4) ◽  
pp. 344-352
Author(s):  
Eman Mahfouz ◽  
Eman Mohammed ◽  
Shaza Alkilany ◽  
Tarek Abdel Rahman

Background: Food insecurity leads to disturbed eating patterns, hunger or poor nutrition and is strongly correlated with poor mental health. Aims: To determine the impact of household food insecurity on maternal mental health in a rural population in Egypt. Methods: This community-based cross-sectional study was conducted in Qulubba Village in Minia Governorate. We interviewed 497 mothers with at least one child, using the Household Food Insecurity Access Scale and Hopkins Symptom Check List-25. Results: Nearly 70% of women resided in food-insecure households. Symptoms of anxiety and depression were significantly more common among food-insecure mothers. By logistic regression analysis, household food insecurity, socioeconomic status, husband working abroad and number of children were significant predictors of maternal distress. Mothers with severe food insecurity were approximately 13 times more likely to experience mental distress than were food secure-mothers. Conclusions: Household food insecurity was associated with an increased likelihood of poor maternal mental health. The study highlights the need for policies to decrease poverty and programmes for screening and addressing food insecurity. Integrating mental health into programmes addressing food insecurity and providing counselling are recommended.


2021 ◽  
pp. 1-11
Author(s):  
Rosa Elena Ponce-Alcala ◽  
Jose Luis Ramirez-Garcia Luna ◽  
Teresa Shamah-Levy ◽  
Hugo Melgar-Quiñonez

Abstract Objective: To examine the association between household food insecurity and overweight, obesity and abdominal obesity in Mexican adults. Design: Cross-sectional study. Setting: We analysed data from the Mexican Halfway National Health and Nutrition Survey 2016, a nationally representative survey that accounted for rural and urban areas in four regions of Mexico: North, Centre, Mexico City and South. Participants: Adults from 20 to 59 years old (n 5456, which represents 45 804 210 individuals at the national level). Results: 70·8 % of the Mexican adults had some degree of household food insecurity. This situation showed larger proportions (P < 0·05) among indigenous people, those living in a rural area, in the Southern region or the lowest socio-economic quintiles. The prevalence of obesity and abdominal obesity was higher in female adults (P < 0·001), with the highest proportions occurring among those experiencing severe household food insecurity. Among women, mean BMI and waist circumference were higher as household food insecurity levels increased (P < 0·001). According to multivariate logistic regression models, severe household food insecurity showed to be positively associated with obesity (OR: 2·36; P = 0·001) in Mexican adult females. Conclusions: Our findings confirm the association between household food insecurity and obesity among Mexican women. Given the socio-demographic characteristics of the food-insecure population, it is alarming that prevailing socio-economic inequalities in the country might also be contributing to the likelihood of obesity. Therefore, it is crucial to maintain and bolster surveillance systems to track both problems and implement adequate policies and interventions.


2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Nadia Shah ◽  
Mehwish Hussain

Abstract Objectives To determine prevalence of Household Food Insecurity in urban slums of Karachi To assess children's behavior living in a state of food insecurity in urban slums To relate Household food insecurity with child's behavior Methods The study used a cross-sectional descriptive survey; conducted in 12 towns from all six districts of Karachi using multi-stage sampling methods. The structured questionnaire, comprised of Socio-demographic information, Household Food Insecurity Access Scale (HFIAS) and Child's behaviour questionnaire (CBQ) was conducted among 400 mothers of children bearing age 3 to 11 years living in urban slums. Correlation of HFIAS and CBQ scores were measured by Spearman's correlation coefficient. Generalized linear regression analysis was performed to determine relationship between scores of food insecurity and child behavior. Results Every two out of three households were found food insecure. 70% of households were worried for shortage of food in past month. Almost all households endured insufficient quality (95%) while 84.2% households did not have sufficient quantity of food in past month. Overall 70% mothers reported behavioral problems in their children; of which solitary and aggressiveness were the most common behavioral problems. Subsequent misbehavior reported were: avoiding going to school, stressed, impetuous, fearful, somatic complaints, bullied and not confident. Correlation between food insecurity and child misbehavior was significantly positive. One additional household with food insecurity increased 26.7% behavioral problems in children in urban slums. Conclusions Food insecurity in slum areas of Karachi is rampant. Behavioral problems in children living in areas with food insecurity are at subsequent high risk. Strategies must be derived for related interventions to reduce these psycho-social problems in addition to socioeconomic problems. Funding Sources No funding was available for the research. Authors conduction self research.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fatemeh Khorram Rouz ◽  
Azam Doustmohammadian ◽  
Omid Eslami ◽  
Majid Khadem-Rezaiyan ◽  
Parisa Pourmohammadi ◽  
...  

Abstract ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to assess the relationship between household food insecurity (HFI) with food and nutrition literacy (FNLIT) in a sample of Iranian children. This cross sectional study was performed on 315 children aged 9 to 12 years recruited from the primary schools throughout Mashhad, Iran. The Household Food Insecurity Access Scale (HFIAS) was used to assess the HFI. Also, overall FNLIT score and its sub-categories were evaluated using a validated 40-item questionnaire.Results The prevalence of HFI in the total sample was about 56 %. Also, almost 14 % of students had a low FNLIT score. Food insecure children had significantly lower levels of FNLT and some subscales including nutrition knowledge, food choice literacy, and food label literacy than the food-secure subjects, moreover, they had a higher likelihood of having low FNLIT score (OR = 2.89, CI: 1.03-8.09; p = 0.04). In conclusion, there is a negative association between HFI and FNLIT in children. Further studies to confirm this finding are needed.


2014 ◽  
Vol 18 (2) ◽  
pp. 251-258 ◽  
Author(s):  
Farah Naja ◽  
Nahla Hwalla ◽  
Talar Fossian ◽  
Dina Zebian ◽  
Lara Nasreddine

AbstractObjectiveTo assess the validity and reliability of the Arabic version of the Household Food Insecurity Access Scale (HFIAS) in rural Lebanon.DesignA cross-sectional study on a sample of households with at least one child aged 0–2 years. In a one-to-one interview, participants completed an adapted Arabic version of the HFIAS. In order to evaluate the validity of the HFIAS, basic sociodemographic information, anthropometric measurements of the mother and child, and dietary intake data of the child were obtained. In order to examine reproducibility, the HFIAS was re-administered after 3 months.SettingRural Lebanon.SubjectsMother and child pairs (n 150).ResultsFactor analysis of HFIAS items revealed two factors: ‘insufficient food quality’ and ‘insufficient food quantity’. Using Pearson's correlation, food insecurity was inversely associated with mother's and father's education levels, number of cars and electrical appliances in the household, income, weight-for-age and length-for-age of the child and the child's dietary adequacy. In contrast, mother's BMI and crowding index were positively associated with food insecurity scores (P < 0·05 for all correlations). Cronbach's α of the scale was 0·91. A moderate correlation was observed between the two administrations of the questionnaire (intra-class correlation = 0·58; P < 0·05).ConclusionsOur findings indicated that the adapted Arabic version of the HFIAS is a valid and reliable tool to assess food insecurity in rural Lebanon, lending further evidence to the utility of the HFIAS in assessing food insecurity in culturally diverse populations.


2017 ◽  
Vol 2017 ◽  
pp. 1-7 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zinat Mortazavi ◽  
Ahmad Reza Dorosty ◽  
Mohammad Reza Eshraghian ◽  
Mohtasham Ghaffari ◽  
Alireza Ansari-Moghaddam ◽  
...  

Background.Today, more than one billion people globally suffer from poverty and food insecurity. This study aimed to determine the severity of and factors related to household food insecurity in Zahedan, Southeastern Iran.Methods.This cross-sectional study was conducted on a total of 2,160 households between November 2014 and December 2015. Demographic and socioeconomic data were collected through interviewing the household mothers. Household food security status was assessed through the USDA 18-item questionnaire. The data were analyzed using chi-square test, one-way ANOVA, and logistic regression model.Results.Total food insecurity in the households investigated was 58.8%. There were significant associations (P<0.001) between household food insecurity status and the socioeconomic status of the households, ethnicity, education, age, and employment status of the head of the household and the mother of the household.Discussion.The results showed that more than half of the households examined suffer from food insecurity. Interventions to improve the food security status of people should be designed and implemented to improve people’s knowledge, skills, and attitudes related to healthy eating and food preparation. People’s access to healthy foods and knowledge of how to select healthy foods (especially on a limited budget) should also be improved.


2018 ◽  
Vol 22 (4) ◽  
pp. 697-705 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yunhee Kang ◽  
Kristen M Hurley ◽  
Julie Ruel-Bergeron ◽  
Assumpta Bou Monclus ◽  
Rachel Oemcke ◽  
...  

AbstractObjectiveTo examine the association between household food insecurity and dietary diversity in the past 24h (dietary diversity score (DDS, range: 0–9); minimum dietary diversity (MDD, consumption of three or more food groups); consumption of nine separate food groups) among pregnant and lactating women in rural Malawi.DesignCross-sectional study.SettingTwo rural districts in Central Malawi.SubjectsPregnant (n 589) and lactating (n 641) women.ResultsOf surveyed pregnant and lactating women, 66·7 and 68·6 %, respectively, experienced moderate or severe food insecurity and only 32·4 and 28·1 %, respectively, met MDD. Compared with food-secure pregnant women, those who reported severe food insecurity had a 0·36 lower DDS (P<0·05) and more than threefold higher risk (OR; 95 % CI) of not consuming meat/fish (3·19; CI 1·68, 6·03). The risk of not consuming eggs (3·77; 1·04, 13·7) was higher among moderately food-insecure pregnant women. Compared with food-secure lactating women, those who reported mild, moderate and severe food insecurity showed a 0·36, 0·44 and 0·62 lower DDS, respectively (all P<0·05). The risk of not achieving MDD was higher among moderately (1·95; 1·06, 3·59) and severely (2·82; 1·53, 5·22) food-insecure lactating women. The risk of not consuming meat/fish and eggs increased in a dose–response manner among lactating women experiencing mild (1·75; 1·01, 3·03 and 2·81; 1·09, 7·25), moderate (2·66; 1·47, 4·82 and 3·75; 1·40, 10·0) and severe (5·33; 2·63, 10·8 and 3·47; 1·19, 10·1) food insecurity.ConclusionsAddressing food insecurity during and after pregnancy needs to be considered when designing nutrition programmes aiming to increase dietary diversity in rural Malawi.


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