Evaluation of Dietary Intake and Food Insecurity: A Case Study on Selected Households from Lahore,Pakistan

 Background: Food insecurity consistently challenges middle-income countries, including Pakistan. The aim of this study was to evaluate the dietary food intake of the households in the selected location through a semi-structured questionnaire. Methods: A cross sectional study was carried out among ۵۰۰ households comprised ۲۰۹۴ participants to investigate dietary intake and status of food insecurity. Furthermore, socio-demographic and weekly dietary food intake was collected through a semi-structured questionnaire in ۲۰۱۹. Those households who assent to participate were included in the study. Results: Mean household size was ۵.۸۰±۲.۰۵ comprised ۴۹.۲۷% male and ۵۰.۶۱% female. Six food types were commonly consumed in the study population. Among these foods (g/capita/day) starch remained at the top ۷۳۴.۴۳ followed by fruits ۲۵۶.۰۲ and vegetables ۸۹.۷۷. These data highlighted limited dietary diversity and reduced dietary intake. The energy intake (per capita/day) from the food basket, contribution of the starch was the highest ۳۲.۳۷% versus protein ۱۴.۴۳%, milk ۱۴.۰۸%, vegetables ۱.۳۱%, and fruit ۷.۷۹% with an overall calories intake ۸۱.۰۸% from all food groups except tea. Finally, of the ۵۰۰ households, ۴۲.۴% people were below the poverty line, ۴۱.۸% people at the poverty line, and ۱۵.۸% people were above the poverty line. Conclusion: The results showed that dietary intake of the participants was below the reference intake, demonstrating food insecurity and unbalanced diet.

Keywords:

Dietary intake , Food insecurity , Poverty , Food diversity