Volume 24, Issue 2 (March - April 2025)
Payesh 2025, 24(2): 269-271 |
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Bagheri M, Lamyian M, Sadighi J, Ahmadi F, Mohammadi-Nasrabadi F. Development and validation of a food security assessment questionnaire for pregnancy. Payesh 2025; 24 (2) :269-271
URL: http://payeshjournal.ir/article-1-2733-en.html
URL: http://payeshjournal.ir/article-1-2733-en.html
Maryam Bagheri *1 
, Minoor Lamyian2 , Jila Sadighi3 , Fazlollah Ahmadi4 , Fatemeh Mohammadi-Nasrabadi5
, Minoor Lamyian2 , Jila Sadighi3 , Fazlollah Ahmadi4 , Fatemeh Mohammadi-Nasrabadi5
1- Department of Midwifery, School of Nursing & Midwifery, North Khorasan University of Medical Sciences, Bojnurd, Iran
2- Department of Reproductive Health and Midwifery, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran
3- Health Metrics Research Center, Iranian Institute for Health Sciences Research, ACECR, Iran
4- Department of Nursing, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran
5- Food and Nutrition Policy and Planning Research Department, National Nutrition and Food Technology Research Institute (NNFTRI), Faculty of Nutrition Sciences and Food Technology, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
2- Department of Reproductive Health and Midwifery, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran
3- Health Metrics Research Center, Iranian Institute for Health Sciences Research, ACECR, Iran
4- Department of Nursing, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran
5- Food and Nutrition Policy and Planning Research Department, National Nutrition and Food Technology Research Institute (NNFTRI), Faculty of Nutrition Sciences and Food Technology, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Abstract: (379 Views)
Dear Editor,
Food insecurity during pregnancy can significantly affect the health of both mother and the fetus by compromising the adequacy and quality of the mother's nutrition. One potential solution to enhance food security among pregnant women is to implement standardized tools for screening food insecurity during pregnancy. Consequently, the objective of this study was to develop and validate a food security assessment tool specifically designed for pregnant women. The study employed a mixed-method sequential exploratory design, conducted in two stages. In the first stage, which involved qualitative research, in-depth structured interviews were carried out with pregnant women and experts in the field of food security. This phase aimed to collect both theoretical and practical definitions of the concept and dimensions of food security during pregnancy. In the second stage, the initial research tool was validated. Four themes were identified in the qualitative research phase: dietary quantity, dietary quality and benefits, managing food insecurity, and promoting food security. The Pregnant Women's Food Security Questionnaire (Pregnancy-FSQ) comprises 20 items divided into two dimensions: lack of access to healthy and quality food (16 questions) and inadequate food intake (4 questions). The questionnaire demonstrated strong validity, reliability, and stability, with a Cronbach's alpha coefficient of 0.965 and an Intraclass Correlation Coefficient of 0.999.
Food insecurity during pregnancy can significantly affect the health of both mother and the fetus by compromising the adequacy and quality of the mother's nutrition. One potential solution to enhance food security among pregnant women is to implement standardized tools for screening food insecurity during pregnancy. Consequently, the objective of this study was to develop and validate a food security assessment tool specifically designed for pregnant women. The study employed a mixed-method sequential exploratory design, conducted in two stages. In the first stage, which involved qualitative research, in-depth structured interviews were carried out with pregnant women and experts in the field of food security. This phase aimed to collect both theoretical and practical definitions of the concept and dimensions of food security during pregnancy. In the second stage, the initial research tool was validated. Four themes were identified in the qualitative research phase: dietary quantity, dietary quality and benefits, managing food insecurity, and promoting food security. The Pregnant Women's Food Security Questionnaire (Pregnancy-FSQ) comprises 20 items divided into two dimensions: lack of access to healthy and quality food (16 questions) and inadequate food intake (4 questions). The questionnaire demonstrated strong validity, reliability, and stability, with a Cronbach's alpha coefficient of 0.965 and an Intraclass Correlation Coefficient of 0.999.
Subject:
Reproductive Health
Received: 2024/11/28 | Accepted: 2024/12/1 | ePublished ahead of print: 2025/04/23 | Published: 2025/05/5
Received: 2024/11/28 | Accepted: 2024/12/1 | ePublished ahead of print: 2025/04/23 | Published: 2025/05/5
References
1. FAO, IFAD, UNICEF, WFP and WHO. The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World. 1st Edition, FAO; IFAD; UNICEF; WFP; WHO; Financing to end hunger, food insecurity and malnutrition in all its forms: Rome, 2024 . https://www.fao.org/2024/04/10
2. Iqbal S, Ali I. Maternal food insecurity in low-income countries: Revisiting its causes and consequences for maternal and neonatal health. Journal of Agriculture and Food Research 2021; 3:1-8 [DOI:10.1016/j.jafr.2020.100091]
3. McKay FH, Spiteri S, Zinga J, Sulemani K, Jacobs SE, Ranjan N, et al. Systematic Review of Interventions Addressing Food Insecurity in Pregnant Women and New Mothers. Current Nutrition Reports 2022; 11:486-499 [DOI:10.1007/s13668-022-00418-z]
4. Bagheri M, Lamyian M, Sadighi J, Ahmadi F. & Mohammadi‐ Nasrabadi, F. Development of a food security assessment tool for pregnant women to integrate into antenatal care in the health system: Protocol of a mixed‐method study. International Journal of Qualitative Methods 2023; 22: 1-11 [DOI:10.1177/16094069231223928]
5. Bagheri M, Lamyian M, Sadighi J, Ahmadi F, & Mohammadi‐Nasrabadi F. Food security during pregnancy: A qualitative content analysis study in Iran. Maternal and Child Nutrition 2024;21:1-13 [DOI:10.1111/mcn.13725]
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