Background: Malnutrition and food insecurity pose serious threats to children’s health worldwide. The present study aimed to investigate the prevalence of malnutrition and food insecurity and their associated socioeconomic and demographic factors among elementary school girls aged 7–12 years in Larestan, Fars Province, Iran.
Methods: In this cross-sectional study conducted from February 2022 to June 2023, we included 736 female students from public elementary schools in Larestan, Fars Province, Iran. Nutritional status (wasting, stunting, overweight, obesity) was assessed using WHO’s AnthroPlus software based on anthropometric measurements. Food insecurity at the individual level was measured using the validated Food Insecurity Experience Scale (FIES). The associations among the variables of the study were examined using chi-square tests and multivariable logistic regression. FIES uses 9 questions that directly capture a person’s own experiences of constrained access to food, such as worrying about running out of food, reducing meal sizes, or missing entire meals due to a lack of money or other resources. By focusing on personal experiences, FIES classifies individuals into categories of mild, moderate, or severe food insecurity.
Results: Based on our results, the prevalence rates were 10.3% for wasting, 13.3% for stunting, 18.5% for overweight, and 9.8% for obesity. Notably, 82.6% of students consumed sugary snacks daily, while only 25.7% consumed vegetables daily. Severe food insecurity was prevalent in 21.1% of the participants. Food insecurity showed significant associations with father’s education (P<0.001), mother’s education (P=0.001), household expenditure (P<0.001), and physical activity level (P=0.043).
Conclusions: Girls from families with lower parental education and income are at a higher risk of malnutrition and food insecurity. These findings underscore the urgent need for targeted public health interventions and policies addressing the underlying socioeconomic determinants to improve nutritional outcomes and food security among school-aged girls in socioeconomically disadvantaged regions like Larestan, Fars Province, Iran.