Food insecurity and health among low income families living in crowded urban areas in Thailand

Food insecurity (FI), a situation of an inadequacy in quality and quantity of food, is an increasing public health concern especially in the urban poor. Little is known about how low-income families experience financial crises and FI.; The overall objective in this study was to assess perceptions of FI, socioeconomic change, and health among urban poor households in Thailand. This report focuses on 4 operational research questions: (1) what are the socio-economic histories, basic needs, food related behaviors, and perceptions of health that have changed since 1997 among households living in slum areas? (2) what are the experiences of FI in this sample? (3) what social and environmental factors influence FI in these informants? and (4) do descriptions of food security correlate with other indicators of nutritional health measured by dietary intake and anthropometry?; A cross-sectional descriptive survey was conducted to identify experiences and influencing factors for FI and health in households living in slum areas. Questionnaires on food security, health, and nutritional assessment, including a 3-day dietary record, and anthropometric measurements were collected from 199 female food providers of households.; Overall, households reported lower income, and worse health and life satisfaction as compared to before the economic recession. In addition, a decrease in income led to difficulty meeting their basic needs, such as access to health service and food provision. Results indicated that FI was prevalent. Only 44.2% of the households reported food security whereas 39.2%, 13.6%, and 3% reported FI without hunger, FI with moderate hunger, and FI with severe hunger, respectively. Experiences of FI, and its influencing factors for FI and health, among urban poor families were identified. FI was negatively associated with total calorie intake, nutrient intake, and body weight. Dietary intake and nutrients decreased as FI situations increased. Number of children in household, household income, and support from family predicted FI status among this sample. Improvement in social and health policy for urban poor families is suggested. The results of the study serve as constructive information for developing health programs to empower the urban poor and contribute to health promotion of food security in Thailand.