Socioeconomic determinants of hidden hunger: a panel data approach

Eliminating hunger, both obvious and hidden, is one of the goals of sustainable development. Considering that the nature of hunger in the world is changing, the study of the hidden hunger index that shows the lack of micronutrients and the socio-economic factors affecting it, provides evidence to health policy makers to take measures to reduce the adverse effects of hidden hunger. The present descriptive analytical study was conducted using cross-country data during the years 1990-2019. First, the hidden hunger index based on DALY (Disability Adjusted Life Years) created due to the lack of iodine, iron and vitamin A micronutrients was calculated for all countries, and then by using (FMOLS)fully adjusted least squares regression and Eviews10 software, the effect of variables Economic (gross domestic product per capita and trade openness) and socio-environmental variables (women's education, urbanization, governance, safe drinking water and food prices) are examined on hidden hunger. The data of the study variables were extracted from the databases of the Global Burden of Diseases and the World Bank. The results of the present study showed that the increase in food prices, free trade and urbanization have a positive and significant effect and the governance index, GDP per capita and access to safe drinking water have a significant and negative effect on hidden hunger. The variable of women's education had a positive relationship with hidden hunger, although it was not statistically significant. At the international level, the measures that make food more expensive or reduce their supply, the opening of food trade without the necessary controls and standards, and the increase in the rate of urbanization and its related lifestyle lead to unhealthy eating habits and insufficient or low food consumption, low quality and the lack of micronutrients increase hidden hunger, and in contrast to economic growth and development and improving the governance of countries and having clean water and providing healthy food, it reduces hidden hunger.