Prevalence and predictors of household food insecurity in Kuantan, Pahang

Introduction: Food insecurity exists whenever people are unable to access nutritionally sufficient and safe food most of the time for an active and healthy lifestyle. Households are a potentially vulnerable population that may face food insecurity. This study aimed to identify prevalence and predictors of food insecurity among households in Kuantan, Pahang. Methods: Food security status was assessed using Food Insecurity Experience Scale (FIES). Variables assessed included socioeconomic background and demographics. Results: A total of 110 households in urban and rural areas were chosen using multistage random selection. According to the findings, 45.3% of households were facing food insecurity, with 38.0% experiencing mild food insecurity, 6.4% experiencing moderate food insecurity, and 0.9% experiencing severe food insecurity. Food insecurity in urban areas was 36.7%, while food insecurity in rural areas was 48.8%. Food insecurity was found to be related to household income [AOR: 19.33 (95% CI: 2.41, 154.95; p=0.005)], mother’s employment status [AOR: 3.92 (95% CI: 1.40, 10.97; p=0.009)], and mother’s marital status [AOR: 11.68 (95% CI: 1.17, 115.97; p=0.036)]. Conclusion: The findings indicated that food insecurity is an alarming problem for households in Kuantan, Pahang, which suggests that more research is necessary to address the multifaceted nature of the issue.