Contribution of food environment to food security and dietary diversity in rural Andhra Pradesh, India: an exploratory study to inform a food systems intervention

Background India is experiencing a growing burden of overnutrition, with nearly one-quarter of adults being overweight or obese, alongside a rising burden of non-communicable diseases and persistent undernutrition. Food environment influences food choices, diet quality, and nutritional status of a community. Urbanization and lifestyle changes are transforming rural food environments, contributing to both malnutrition and rising non-communicable diseases. In India, there is limited understanding of how public food procurement programs (PFPPs) affect household food access, diet quality, and food security, and this evidence is needed to design nutrition-focused interventions using PFPPs. This study assessed contribution of food environment to food security and dietary diversity among rural communities in Andhra Pradesh, India. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted in 16 randomly selected villages from four blocks in Srikakulam district, Andhra Pradesh. Data were collected in 328 households (HHs) on socio-economic profile, HH food environment profile, HH food security status ( n = 320), and dietary diversity ( n = 323) of adult women of reproductive age (18–49 years). Food Insecurity Experience Scale was used to assess HH food security. A digital tool developed based on Minimum Dietary Diversity for Women was used to assess dietary diversity (24-hour recall). Simple and multiple variable mixed effect linear/binary, logistic/ordinal logistic regressions were used to check the associations between the outcomes (food insecurity and dietary diversity) and key independent variables. Results The community majorly accessed food from local markets (99%), government food programs (98%), and farmland (69%). Only 40% HHs experienced food security. The mean Dietary Diversity Score (DDS) for women was 4.39 ± 1.27. Analysis revealed that women from mild, moderate, and severe food-insecure households had 0.04 units, 0.38 units, and 0.72 units lower DDS, respectively, compared to those from food-secure households ( p = 0.042). Access to food from a kitchen garden was associated with an increase of 0.68 units in DDS ( p < 0.05). Conclusion Nearly half of households faced mild to moderate food insecurity, over half of women had low dietary diversity, and most families accessed food from local markets, PFPPs, and farmland. Strengthening local food systems and their integration into government food supplementation programs can be vital in addressing these challenges.