Introduction: Nutrition is a fundamental factor in maintaining health and promoting individual and social development. This is particularly crucial in rural communities, as they play a significant role in food production and security. In rural areas of Iran, specific challenges arise in providing healthy nutrition due to economic constraints and difficulty accessing diverse and appropriate food sources, especially during different seasons of the year. This issue is particularly important. In addition to these challenges, food traditions, local customs, and access to agricultural products in these areas directly impact the quality and diversity of food available. Studying the main sources of nutrition for households in these regions can provide insight into the nutritional, health, and economic conditions of these communities. With this approach, the current study examined the main sources of nutrition for households in rural communities of Iran in 2023.
Materials and Methods: To achieve the study's objectives, household expenditure and income information in rural areas of Iran were used. By calculating the nutritional performance matrix, the study examined the contribution of different commodity groups in providing nutrients, as well as the state of obvious hunger and hidden hunger in these areas.
Results and Discussion: The results of this study indicate that for vitamins A and C, a large portion of these micronutrients is obtained from consuming vegetables, legumes, fruits, and nuts due to the limited variety in alternative but affordable product groups. However, for other nutrients, a significant portion of the needs is met through the consumption of bread and cereals. Based on the results, households living in rural areas of Iran currently obtain an average of 77.3% of their carbohydrates, 56.4% of protein, 77.6% of vitamin B1, 45.8% of calcium, and 68.2% of iron from bread and cereals. Regarding the results obtained, it appears that the rapid acceleration of inflation and economic turbulence in recent years, along with the subsequent increase in living costs, have led to a decrease in the consumption of expensive sources of valuable nutrients. This has increased the tendency of households to replace these resources with relatively cheaper alternatives. Due to the limited availability of low-cost alternative product groups, the consumption of bread, cereals, and their products has increased. These items are not typically known as rich sources of micronutrients. As a result, in order for an ordinary person to meet the small amounts of micronutrients needed by their body, they must consume a large quantity of cereals. However, this can lead to obesity and overweight due to the high carbohydrate content of these products. These results indicate that households living in rural areas of Iran experience hidden hunger, but their obvious hunger is guaranteed.
Conclusions: Developing support programs such as subsidy support, sustainable agriculture education, and strengthening local supply chains can help households access healthy and affordable food sources. Additionally, offering financial assistance to farmers and implementing local nutrition programs can help increase awareness and lower expenses. Finally, creating effective distribution systems for agricultural products can improve access to fresh, quality food in rural areas.