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Rastegar H, Jalili R, KhodayariZarnaq R. Subsidy Targeting and Food Security: Review and Presentation of Policy Options for Iran. J Research Health 2025; 15 (2) :117-126
URL: http://jrh.gmu.ac.ir/article-1-2407-en.html

Background: Economic policies play a pivotal role in supporting vulnerable demographics. Over the past decade, subsidy-targeted legislation has significantly impacted macroeconomic indicators, often to the detriment of society’s less fortunate. This study aimed to evaluate nutrition support initiatives in India, the USA, and the UK, gleaning insights from their approaches to food subsidy provision.
Methods: Employing the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) policy analytical framework, we systematically identified, scrutinized, and ranked nutrition support policies. A comparative analysis of nutrition assistance programs in India, the USA, the UK and Iran was undertaken, examining their goals, benefits, drawbacks, execution modalities and strategic frameworks. This comprehensive review informed the subsequent expert-driven policy prioritization. 
Results: Policy alternatives for nutrition assistance encompass public distribution systems, targeted interventions for specific demographic groups, and school-centric initiatives. Expert consensus prioritizes targeted support for vulnerable populations in impoverished regions through the distribution of food supplements. The secondary focus is on bolstering school lunch infrastructures, particularly in underprivileged areas, by providing nutritional aid packages. Lastly, experts recommend a broad-based subsidy distribution approach, leveraging cost-effective food parcels that bridge the price gap between producers and consumers and focus on staple commodities.
Conclusion: Strengthening nutritional aid for mothers, children and educational institutions via subsidized channels can mitigate disease prevalence and amplify educational outcomes. Public distribution schemes offer the advantage of universal coverage across age groups. It is thus recommended that subsidies be judiciously allocated for widespread distribution, contingent upon prevailing socio-economic conditions. Moreover, strategic planning is essential to ensure the delivery of nutritional support to specialized cohorts and educational settings through sustainable subsidy mechanisms.