Determinants of Household Food Insecurity in Rural Zahedan: A Food and Nutrition System Perspective

Household food insecurity (FI) in rural areas is influenced by multiple determinants within the food and nutrition system (FNS), encompassing production, distribution, consumption, and nutritional status. This cross-sectional study evaluated 321 randomly selected households across six rural villages in Zahedan, Iran, to identify key determinants of FI from a FNS perspective. FI affected 53.3% of households, which were characterized by larger family sizes, lower income and educational levels among adult women, and greater reliance on government subsidies. Villages with greater agricultural diversity and higher nutritional yield showed significantly reduced odds of FI, whereas villages exporting over half their produce experienced a 7.9-fold increased risk. Households with homestead food production yielding less than 5% protein faced significantly higher FI risk (OR = 2.82; 95% CI: 1.50–5.28). Lower nutrient adequacy scores were also strongly associated with FI. Among adult women in FI households, prevalence of both wasting and overweight increased, while abdominal obesity was less common (OR = 0.461; 95% CI: 0.243–0.878). These findings highlight critical determinants within the rural FNS contributing to household FI and related nutritional challenges, underscoring the need for integrated policies to address socioeconomic disparities and enhance agricultural and nutritional resilience.