Journal of School of Public Health and

Background and Aim: Food and nutrition is one of the most essential needs of human societies and gaining sufficient and suitable food for all people is based on food security. Children are one of the most volnurable groups, so researchers and nutritionest emphasize on studying and analyzing of different aspects, effects and associated facters on prevalence of food insecurity and obesity among children. This study aimed to determine the association between obesity and food security and some related family factors inYazd primery school children.

Materials and Methods: Using two stage cluster sampling from 35 Yazd primary schools, a total of 3245 students aged 9-11y (1587 boys & 1658 girls) were randomly selected. Then 187 students 9-11y who had a BMI 95th percentile of Hosseini et al. (1999) reference, were identified as obese and 187 same age and gender pupils (having 15th<85th percentile) were studied as controls. Data were collected by demographic and USDA questionnaires.

Results: We found that the prevalence of obesity among student aged 9-11 years was 13.3% and the prevalence of food insecurity was 30.5%. Data analysing indicated that with adjusting variables such as "paternal education and occupation, economic status" there was a significant association between obesity and food insecurity in these levels: father's educated by secondary school, self-employment and low and moderate level of economic status. However, no significant association was observed between obesity and food insecurity when family size and maternal education were adjusted.

Conclusion: Paternal education and occupation, and family economic status were recognised as associated factors with food insecurity but other factors didn,t show significant relationship. There is lack of published information regarding some factors affecting food security therefore, it is necessary to performe such studies in other regions too.

Background and Aim: Food insecurity implies a limited ability to secure adequate and safe food or limited or uncertain ability to acquire acceptable foods in socially acceptable ways. The nutrition transition in Iran is taking place in the context of rapid demographic change and urbanization in spite of underweight, obesity and overweight increased, especially among women. It is usually expected that food-insecure people have an inadequate food intake, less body fat, and body weight. However, several studies in developed countries have shown a higher prevalence of overweight/obesity among food-insecure household members, especially women. Under weight and overweight or obesity is the most common nutritional disorder in the developed countries and is assuming to become a serious health problem in developing countries. This study aimed to assess the association between food insecurity and socio-economic factors in households and body mass index among urban women in Dezful in 2008.

Materials and Methods: A total of 400 household were randomly selected by two stage sampling from different areas in Dezful. Heights and weights of all women were measured based on standard protocols, and body mass index (BMI) was calculated. BMI status was defined based on cut-off values recommended by NIH( under weight = BMI<18.5, normal weight 18.5< BMI< 25, overweight 25≤BMI<30 and obesity BMI≥30 Women provided detailed demographic and food insecurity information via a face- to- face interview. Information on food insecurity was collected using the instrument originally developed by USDA. All analysis was conducted using the SPSS statistical package.

Results: The prevalence of household food insecurity was %37.6 and 42.8% of the women were overweight, and 12% obese, respectively. Results showed that, BMI was positively associated with food insecurity, women's age and family size and inversely associated with , race and economic status (p <0.05).

Conclusion: It is evident that household food insecurity, overweight and obesity coexist in Dezful. Women age, family size, race and economic status were recognized as associated factors with food insecurity but other factors didn't show significant relationship. There is lack of published information regarding food insecurity and some factors affecting with body weight status therefore, it is necessary to perform such studies in other regions too.

Background and Aim: Diabetes mellitus is one of the most common medical problems in pregnant women. Nutrition plays an important role in the prevention and control of this disease. Some studies have found a relationship between gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) and food insecurity. The objective of this study was to investigate the association between food insecurity and GDM.

Material and Methods: : This case-control study included 274 pregnant women (137 GDM cases and 137 healthy controls) selected by convenience sampling. Data on the subjects’ food insecurity, demographic features and physical activity (MET) were collected by interviewing and their heights and weights measured. For the analysis of the data, the Chi-square test, independent sample t-test and multivariate and univariate logistic regression tests were used, the statistical software being SPSS 16.0.

Results: On the whole, 18.2% and 21.9% of the women in the case and control groups suffered from food insecurity, respectively. There were statistically significant differences between the case and control groups with regard to a previous history of pregnancy, a family history of diabetes in the first and second degree relatives, and a history of giving birth to a baby weighing over 4 kgs.

Further analysis of the data showed a family history of diabetes mellitus and a low socio-economic status to be independent risk factors for GDB.

Conclusion: No statistically significant difference was observed between food insecurity of the women and gestational diabetes mellitus in this study. Despite this finding, considering that there are associations between food insecurity and other types of diabetes mellitus, we recommend further studies on this subject to be able to either accept or reject the hypothesis on the association between food insecurity and gestational diabetes mellitus.