Household Food Insecurity and Dietary Diversity among Female University Students in Karachi, Pakistan: A Cross-Sectional Study
Keywords:
food insecurity, dietary diversity, women’s nutrition, university students, PakistanAbstract
ABSTRACT
Background
Food insecurity (FI) leads to long-term detrimental effects on physical and intellectual development, resulting in malnutrition and micronutrient deficiencies. The current study assessed Household Food Insecurity (HFI) and its association with 24-hour Dietary Diversity Scores (DDS) among female university students in Karachi.
Methods
We employed non-probability consecutive sampling at a large public-sector university in Karachi, Pakistan, for this cross-sectional study. The study included undergraduate and postgraduate students aged between 18-26 years. The USAID standardized questionnaire “Household Food Insecurity Access Scale” was used to assess FI. Bivariate one-way ANOVA and multivariable ordinary-least-squares and logistic regression models were applied to examine the relationship between HFI severity and continuous DDS and low DDS (<5 food-groups).
Results
We analysed 311 female students; 26.5 % (95 % CI 22.0–31.5) experienced some degree of food insecurity. HFI severity was not independently associated with DDS after adjustment (mean DDS: 6.35 ± 1.86; adjusted β = −0.08, 95% CI: −0.27 to 0.12; p = 0.43).
Conclusions
Although food insecurity was common, it was not independently associated with dietary diversity after adjustment. Targeted nutrition-education and subsidised-meal programmes could still mitigate residual risk. Campus policies must integrate financial support with education to address non-economic barriers to diet quality.
References
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