Association between food insecurity and obesity in an agricultural community of women from El Jadida, Morocco

Background Food insecurity (FI) has received much attention in the last decades due to its strong association with obesity. Indeed, it has begun to be a serious concern, especially in developing countries undergoing a nutritional transition. Objective The aim of this study was to examine the association between FI, food intake and the risk of obesity in an agricultural community of women from El Jadida Province in Morocco. Materials and methods The survey included a sample of 214 women. Weight and height were measured, and the body mass index was calculated. FI was measured using a household FI access scale. Food intake was evaluated using two 24-hour dietary recalls. Variance tests and Chi-square tests are applied for means ± standard deviations comparisons and proportions with percentages of continuous and categorical variables, respectively. Results The female population surveyed had an average age of 44 ± 13 years, 42% were obese, 36% were overweight, and 86% were centrally obese (CO). FI was observed in 78% of the sample, and it is found to be associated with both overweight, general obesity (GO) and CO (P ≤ 0.001). The risk of GO was extremely high in women with mild FI (unadjusted OR = 31.33, 95% CI: 7.01, 140.06). This association remained high after adjustment for socio-demographic variables (adjusted OR = 24.98, 95% CI: 5.36, 116.35). Compared with food secure women, the risk of CO was significantly higher in women with moderate FI (unadjusted OR = 16.44, 95% CI: 3.56, 75.91). This association remained significant after adjustment for socio-demographic variables (OR adjusted = 36.51, 95% CI: 4.81, 276.7). FI was associated with high daily energy (P Conclusion There is a high prevalence of FI associated with overweight, GO and CO and with high energy intake among the rural female population. Hence, intervention programs must consider food security in the fight against obesity and its associated problems, by ensuring women's access to a variety of high quality foods and the achievement of a balanced diet at the local and national levels.