Arezoo Haghighian-Roudsari - Department of Community Nutrition, National Nutrition and Food Technology Research Institute, Faculty of Nutrition Sciences and Food Technology, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Fatemeh Mohammadi-Nasrabadi - Research Department of Food and Nutrition Policy and Planning, National Nutrition and Food Technology Research Institute, Faculty of Nutrition Sciences and Food Technology, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Nasrin Omidvar - Department of Community Nutrition, National Nutrition and Food Technology Research Institute, Faculty of Nutrition Sciences and Food Technology, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Mohammad-Reza Khoshfetrat - Department of Community Nutrition, National Nutrition and Food Technology Research Institute, Faculty of Nutrition Sciences and Food Technology, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Zahra Mirzadeh-Ahari - Nutrition consultant, Tehran, Iran
Ghasem Fadavi - Food, Halal and Agricultural Products Research Group, Research Center of Food Technology and Agricultural Products, Standard Research Institute, Karaj, Alborz, Iran
Yadollah Mehrabi - Department of Biostatistics, Faculty of Para-Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.

Background: Cash transfer (CT) is one of the strategies used by many developing countries to improve food security and nutritional status of lower socio-economic groups. This study aims to assessing household food insecurity (HFI) and viewpoints of women after CT program in rural population of Tehran province by both quantitative and qualitative methods. Methods: After making arrangements with rural health centers of Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences and Health Services, ۲۵۰ households were selected from five rural of Iran with different socio-economic status (SES) by cluster sampling. Locally adapted Household Food Insecurity Access Scale (HFIAS), food frequency, and SES questionnaires were completed, and height, weight, and waist circumference of adult females were measured. .Data on families' coping strategies were collected through ۷ focus-group discussions.  Results: The frequency of mild, moderate, and severe HFI was ۲۲.۳, ۲۲.۳, and ۱۶.۰%, respectively. SES negatively affected HFI (P<۰.۰۰۱), and HFI negatively influenced food-group consumption (P<۰.۰۰۱). Most of the women reported strategies like borrowing from family and friends, skipping meals, and eating less food by mothers. Conclusions: It seems that in spite of CT program, the prevalence of HFI among Iranians in rural areas was relatively high and consumption of food groups in FI households was low. Corresponding Author:Fatemeh Mohammadi-Nasrabadi View Orcid in Profile You can search for this author in PubMed     Google Scholar Profile

Food assistance, Social support, Food security, Qualitative search