Naser Kalantari - Department of Community Nutrition, National Nutrition and Food Technology Research Institute, and Faculty of Nutrition Sciences and Food Technology, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Hassan Eini-Zinab - Department of Community Nutrition, National Nutrition and Food Technology Research Institute, and Faculty of Nutrition Sciences and Food Technology, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Neda Ezzeddin - Department of Community Nutrition, Faculty of Nutrition Sciences and Food Technology, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Nastaran Miri - Department of Nutrition, Faculty of Health, Qazvin University of Medical Sciences, Qazvin, Iran.

Introduction: Food insecurity has negative impacts on health, including the function of the immune system. The association between food insecurity and COVID-۱۹ infection rates has not been fully understood. This study aimed to examine whether food-insecure households are more vulnerable to COVID-۱۹ infection. Materials and Methods: This online cross-sectional study was conducted on ۲,۸۷۱ Iranian adults (۳۱ provinces), from August to September ۲۰۲۰. Demographic and socio-economic information was collected using a questionnaire. The Household Food Insecurity Access Scale (HFIAS) was used for assessing household food insecurity. The data analysis was performed by SPSS.۲۲, using Chi-square test, ANOVA test, and Multinomial Logistic Regression Model. Results: The findings indicated that healthcare personnel were at higher risk of COVID-۱۹ (CI = ۱.۹۰, ۷.۰۵; OR = ۳.۶۶; P < ۰.۰۰۱). It was also shown that HFIAS scores were significantly higher among infected people compared to non-infected (CI = ۱.۰۰, ۱.۰۵; OR = ۱.۰۳; P < ۰.۰۵). Women were at lower risk of infection compared to men (CI = ۰.۴۱, ۰.۸۷; OR = ۰.۶۰; P < ۰.۰۵). Conclusions: Based on the results, in addition to long-term policies to improve food security, policymakers are recommended to implement short-term policies to reduce the vulnerability of the community to COVID-۱۹ virus.

COVID-۱۹, Pandemics, Health Personnel, Food Insecurity.