Authors

Mohammad Reza Mahmoodi, Hamid Najafipour1, Mohammad Ali Mohsenpour2, Mojgan Amiri3

Affiliations

Physiology Research Center, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran

Department of Nutrition, Cardiovascular Research Center, Institute of Basic and Clinical Physiology, School of Health, Kerman University of Medical Sciences,

1Physiology Research Center, Institute of Basic and Clinical Physiology, School of Medicine, Kerman University of Medical
Sciences, Kerman,

2Department of Nutrition, Nutrition and Food Security Research Center, International Campus, Shahid Sadoughi University
of Medical Sciences,

3Department of Nutrition, Nutrition and Food Security Research Center, Faculty of Health, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran

Abstract

Background: We sought the prevalence of food insecurity and whether cardiovascular risk markers and metabolic syndrome components are significantly different in categories of food insecurity in patients with type 2 diabetes.

Materials and Methods: In this cross‑sectional study, 520 patients with type 2 diabetes from the Kerman coronary artery disease risk study aged between 23 and 87 years (60.8 ± 11.4) who selected by one‑stage cluster sampling were assigned into four groups of “food secure” and “mild,” “moderate,” and “severe” food insecure. Household food insecurity was assessed by a 9‑item household food insecurity access scale questionnaire.

Results: The prevalence of food security and mild, moderate, and severe food insecurity in patients with diabetes was 24.4%, 33.1%, 28.9%, and 13.6%, respectively. There was a significant difference among the food‑secure/insecure sex groups (P = 0.001). The prevalence of food insecurity and risk factors such as total cholesterol, high low‑density lipoprotein cholesterol, and visceral obesity in mild food‑insecure females was significantly higher than males (P < 0.001, 0.001, and 0.001, respectively). The fasting blood sugar significantly increased (P = 0.020) in diabetic females with food security than the other female groups. Diastolic blood pressure significantly increased (P = 0.028) in diabetic females with severe food insecurity than the other female groups. The glycosylated hemoglobin significantly increased (P = 0.013) in diabetic males with severe food insecurity than the other male groups. Food insecurity odds ratio in females was 1.74 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.10–2.70), 2.39 (95% CI: 1.48–3.88), and 2.73 (95% CI: 1.49–5.01) times higher than in males for mild, moderate, and severe food insecurity, respectively. Conclusion: Food insecurity may deteriorate some cardiometabolic biomarkers in type 2 diabetes. Improving food security in patients with diabetes may help reduce cardiovascular disease.
Key words: Cardiovascular risk markers, food insecurity, Kerman coronary artery disease risk study, metabolic syndrome components, type 2 diabetes