Food insecurity: experience in a tertiary health center in Turkey

Abstract

AIM: Aim of the study was to determine food insecurity in families presenting to our hospital and the sociodemographic characteristics of those families.

METHODS: A survey consisting of 18 questions was administered to the parents of the patients applying to our hospital's pediatric polyclinic in September 01-30, 2011. The administered survey was adapted by us to Turkish from the Household Food Security Survey Module of the American Ministry of Agriculture. The survey was administered to all patients by the same researcher.

RESULTS: The study enrolled 283 families. Of the parents filling out the survey 208 (73.5%) were mothers, 53 (18.7%) were fathers and 22 (7.8%) other relatives (grandmother, aunt and uncle). Eighty-two (29%) families were determined to be food secure, 58 (20.5%) borderline food secure, 86 (30.4%) food insecure and 57 (20.1%) severely food insecure.

CONCLUSION: Food insecurity ratio in the families presenting to our hospital was found to be fairly high. In our country studies associated with food insecurity should be conducted in larger areas and a higher number of families should be enrolled.