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Social Determinants of Food insecurity in the Arab Region: A Comparative Study
Author(s) -
Sheikomar Olfat Bakur,
Wambogo Edwina,
Sahyoun Nadine R.,
Ghattas Hala
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.31.1_supplement.791.29
Subject(s) - food security , malnutrition , poverty , food insecurity , environmental health , population , unemployment , demography , medicine , agriculture , geography , economic growth , economics , sociology , archaeology , pathology
Background Some countries of the League of Arab States (LAS) are exposed to urbanization, high unemployment, food price volatility, and conflicts predisposing their populations to poverty, food insecurity (FI) and malnutrition. Limited data are available on food insecurity experience in these countries, particularly, of older adults. This study estimates the prevalence and determinants of FI in countries of LAS. Methods We used data from the United Nations Food and Agricultural Organization, Voices of the Hungry Project (FAO‐VOH), on food insecurity, assessed using the 8‐item Food Insecurity Experience Scale (FIES) collected by the Gallup World Poll for 19 Arab countries for the years 2014 and 2015. The sample included 32,146 adults; 80.3% were 19–49 years old, of which 53.7% were men, and 19.7% were 50 years and above, of which 56.6% men. Food security thresholds were determined using Rasch modeling and participants were classified as food secure/moderately insecure (FSMI) and severely FI (SFI). Prevalence of SFI was estimated by age group, gender, and Human Development Index (HDI) categories. Results The overall prevalence of SFI and FSMI were 14.1% and 85.9%, respectively. There was a higher prevalence of SFI among women than men (15.8% and 12.7% respectively, p‐value <.0001), however this was reversed in high‐HDI countries where men were at higher risk of SFI than women (P <.0001). There were no significant differences in SFI prevalence by age group. Of the total population, SFI was prevalent in 21.1% of adults from low‐HDI countries and 7.1% from high‐HDI countries (P <.0001). Additionally, overall, SFI was more prevalent among adults living in rural areas, with lower educational attainment, who are poorer, and dissatisfied with their health care access compared to FSMI individuals. Conclusion The relationship between food security and gender is complex and needs to be further investigated. As expected, SFI is more prevalent in countries of lower human development and among vulnerable segments of the population. It is essential to understand the socioeconomic and demographic determinants of FI in this population in order to develop interventions that target the most vulnerable populations in LAS countries.