THE SOCIOECONOMIC DETERMINANTS OF FOOD AND NUTRITIONAL SECURITY IN RURAL AND URBAN AREA OF PAKISTAN DURING COVID-19

Abstract

Food insecurity and health is turning out to be one of the biggest issues of the world especially in the pandemic. Developing countries are particularly affected badly from the problem of food insecurity and malnutrition. Food and nutrition (macro and micro nutrition) status was assessed by using the calories and nutrition intake method in the rural and urban areas of district Faisalabad and food security index was used to estimate the absolute food security status. Primary data set about 500 households were collected from the rural and urban areas. The results show that calories and macronutrient’s security status was better in the urban areas while the situation of micro nutrients was better in rural areas. It was found 49 percent households in rural areas and 43 percent households in urban areas were food and nutrition secure. The impact of covid-19 was evident in urban areas especially in low-income households and people who earn daily wages. The regression analysis showed that prevalence of disease, Education, household income, family size, number daily intake meals, age of household head and land size were significant impact on the food and nutrition security status in both rural and urban areas.