Socioeconomic Determinants of Food Insecurity in Iran: A Systematic Review

Abstract

Food insecurity (FI) is a major global health challenge despite the actions taken to combat it. Social and economic factors can affect food security. This study aimed to systematically review research evidence to investigate socioeconomic determinants of FI in the healthy Iranian population. Three databases and search engines, including PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science as well as Iranian scientific search engines, including Scientific Information Database (SID) and Magiran were systematically searched in English and Persian to identify relevant articles from 1990 until October 2022. A total of 6624 studies were identified. After screening, 115 cross-sectional and 6 case–control studies were included. We separated the results based on rural, urban, and suburban areas. Socioeconomic factors which were correlated to FI in both urban and rural areas were family head education level, parent’s occupation, family head occupation, occupation diversity, number of working persons in a family, marital status of the family head, family size, number of children, household’s economic status, house area, house ownership, and living facilities. Many socioeconomic determinants affect IF in the urban, rural, and suburban areas; so, policymakers should have comprehensive attention on these factors, specifically to improve food security status and support society’s health.

Worse becomes the worst: obesity inequality, its determinants and policy options in Iran

“…Low-income households tend to consume a low-cost diet, which is usually a low-quality diet, high in calories, fat, sugar, and salt, and low in micronutrient density ( 21 ). The association between food insecurity with living areas, parents’ education, and income in Iranian society has been established in a recent systematic review ( 26 ).…”