Food security research in selected Southern European and Eastern Mediterranean countries: a narrative review

Abstract

PurposeThe paper aims to investigate food security research in Southern Europe and selected Eastern Mediterranean countries.Design/methodology/approachAn electronic literature search was conducted using Medline/PubMed and Scopus, to identify articles and reviews that were published in the English language, between January 2014 and December 2019. Thirty-three publications met the criteria for review.FindingsDepending on the population sample and the measurement tool, reported food insecurity differed significantly between and within countries. In Portugal, food insecurity ranged from 11 to 70%; in France, from 6.3 to 77.7%; and in Greece, from 17.3 to 82%.Research limitations/implicationsResearch investigating food insecurity issues and its true prevalence across southern European and Eastern Mediterranean countries are relatively limited.Originality/valueFood insecurity levels in the above countries vary significantly, and the different methodologies often used render the results difficult to compare.