Abstract:
Objective: The purpose of the present paper is to assess the relationship between
food insecurity and food consumption patterns, anthropometric measures and
serum micronutrient levels in rural Kilimanjaro, Tanzania.
Design: A population-based cross-sectional study was carried out between March
and May of 2005.
Setting: Rural Kilimanjaro, Tanzania.
Subjects: Analysis was restricted to 1014 adults aged 15–44 years with children and
complete data.
Results: A large majority of the participants (91 %) reported some kind of food
insecurity. Food insecurity was significantly associated with age, marital status
and occupation. Participants reporting food insecurity were significantly less
likely to frequently consume animal products, fruits and vegetables compared
with participants categorized as food secure. Women categorized as experiencing
individual food insecurity had a larger waist circumference than food-secure
women (P50?026) while the mean BMI of women appeared to decline if they
had a child who was food insecure (P50?038). There were no observed differences
in serum micronutrient levels by food insecurity status.
Conclusions: Food insecurity is highly prevalent and associated with food consumption
patterns, waist circumference and BMI of women in rural Tanzania.
Further studies should apply self-report measures in assessing food insecurity to
larger and more diversified populations.
