Ecology of Food and Nutrition
Volume 54, Issue 3, 2015, Pages 187-199

High Occurrence of Food Insecurity among Urban Afghan Refugees in Pakdasht, Iran 2008: A Cross-sectional Study (Article)

Abdollahi M. , Abdollahi Z.* , Sheikholeslam R. , Kalantari N. , Kavehi Z. , Neyestani T.R.
  • a Social Determinants of Health Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
  • b Nutrition Department, Undersecretary of Public Health Ministry of Health & Medical Education, Tehran, Iran
  • c Nutrition, Health and Development Institute, Tehran, Iran
  • d Department of Community Nutrition, National Nutrition and Food Technology Research Institute and Faculty of Nutrition Science and Food Technology, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
  • e Nutrition, Health and Development Institute, Tehran, Iran
  • f Department of Nutrition Research, National Nutrition and Food Technology Research Institute and Faculty of Nutrition Science and Food Technology, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

Abstract

This research aimed to evaluate food security and its association with anthropometric measures among Afghan refugees living in Pakdasht, one of the main harbors of Afghan refugees in the neighborhood of Tehran. A total of 414 registered Afghan refugee households were recruited in a cross-sectional study. About 88% of households were food insecure. Unemployment and socioeconomic status were the major determinants of food insecurity among the refugee households. While about 58% of women were overweight/obese, the prevalence of underweight and wasting were remarkable in children (11.0% and 12.7%, respectively), indicating a recent malnutrition. Government and organizations working for refugees must focus their activities on empowering Afghan refugees. © 2015, Copyright © 2015 National Nutrition and Food Technology Research Institute.

Author Keywords

Food insecurity Refugees nutrition Anthropometry

Index Keywords

urban population unemployment wasting syndrome Afghanistan refugee poverty complication human Thinness Refugees middle aged Overweight statistics and numerical data health service obesity Food Supply socioeconomic status Tehran [Iran] Pakdasht ethnology family size Iran neighborhood Family Characteristics Health Services Needs and Demand catering service Cross-Sectional Studies cross-sectional study Humans Adolescent male preschool child female Infant Child, Preschool Cities prevalence city nutrition adult food security body weight malnutrition social class Child
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-84928339766&doi=10.1080%2f03670244.2013.834819&partnerID=40&md5=7d43eb728708d4e6da53a5d37dd87299
DOI: 10.1080/03670244.2013.834819
ISSN: 03670244
Cited by: 5
Original Language: English