When the 2023 earthquake hit Turkey, researchers studied how people struggled to find safe, healthy food and how this affected their nutrition. They talked to 209 earthquake survivors and found that both men and women faced serious challenges getting enough water, protein, and important vitamins. Women worried most about food safety when meals weren’t satisfying, while men with more education were more concerned about whether food was safe to eat. The study shows that during disasters, having good emergency food systems is crucial to keeping people healthy.

The Quick Take

  • What they studied: How earthquake survivors in Turkey could access safe food and whether food problems affected their nutrition and health
  • Who participated: 209 people (about half men, half women) with an average age of 42 years who survived the 2023 Kahramanmaraş earthquake in Turkey
  • Key finding: Almost everyone studied wasn’t eating enough water, protein, fiber, and important minerals like calcium, iron, and zinc. Women were especially worried about food safety when meals weren’t good quality, and men with higher education were more concerned about whether food was safe
  • What it means for you: During emergencies like earthquakes, having reliable systems to provide safe, nutritious food is extremely important. If you’re involved in disaster relief, this research shows you need to focus on both the safety and quality of emergency meals

The Research Details

Researchers conducted face-to-face interviews with 209 people who survived the 2023 earthquake in two Turkish cities. They asked questions about whether people could access food, whether they felt the food was safe to eat, and what they were actually eating. This type of study, called cross-sectional, takes a snapshot of a situation at one point in time rather than following people over months or years.

The researchers carefully measured what people were eating and compared it to healthy nutrition guidelines. They also asked detailed questions about people’s concerns regarding food safety, how satisfied they were with meals provided, and whether they had enough drinking water. They then looked for patterns to see which groups of people faced the biggest challenges.

This research approach is important because it captures real conditions immediately after a disaster when people need help most. By talking directly to survivors and measuring their actual food intake, researchers got accurate information about what was really happening, not just guesses. This helps emergency planners understand exactly what went wrong and how to do better next time.

The study directly interviewed people rather than relying on secondhand information, which makes the findings more reliable. The sample size of 209 people is reasonable for this type of research. However, because this was a snapshot study rather than following people over time, we can see what problems existed but can’t be completely certain about cause-and-effect relationships. The researchers were careful to separate findings for men and women since they faced different challenges.

What the Results Show

The research revealed a serious nutrition crisis among earthquake survivors. Nearly everyone studied wasn’t getting enough of multiple essential nutrients including water, protein, healthy fats, fiber, and important minerals like calcium, iron, zinc, and magnesium. Many also weren’t getting enough vitamins.

For women, the biggest food safety concerns came when meals weren’t satisfying, when emergency food services weren’t working well, and when they perceived the food as unhealthy. Women also struggled significantly when they couldn’t access enough drinking water—those without sufficient water were 2.6 times more likely to have trouble accessing food overall.

For men, the situation was somewhat different. Men with an associate degree or higher education were surprisingly 20.7 times more likely to worry about food safety, possibly because they had higher expectations or better understood food safety risks. Men who thought the food was unhealthy were 12.4 times more likely to have food safety concerns. Men who were employed and those dissatisfied with meals were 2.7 to 2.8 times more likely to struggle with food access.

The study found that emergency meal services weren’t meeting people’s needs or expectations. Many survivors felt the food quality was poor and meals weren’t satisfying. The lack of clean drinking water was a major problem, especially for women. The research also showed that education level and employment status affected how people experienced food problems, suggesting that different groups needed different types of help during the emergency.

Previous disaster studies have shown that food and water access are critical health issues after earthquakes, and this research confirms those findings while providing specific details about the 2023 Turkey earthquake. The finding that nutrition problems were widespread matches what researchers have seen in other major disasters. However, this study adds new information about how men and women experienced different challenges and how education level affected people’s concerns about food safety.

This study took a snapshot at one moment in time, so we can’t be completely sure about cause-and-effect relationships. The study only included 209 people from two cities, so results might not apply to all earthquake survivors in Turkey or other countries. The researchers didn’t follow people over time to see how long nutrition problems lasted or whether they improved. Additionally, the study relied on people’s own reports about food and health, which can sometimes be affected by memory or personal bias.

The Bottom Line

Emergency response systems should prioritize providing safe, clean drinking water as a first step. Food aid programs need to focus on nutritious meals that include protein, whole grains, and foods rich in vitamins and minerals rather than just basic calories. Emergency planners should involve community members in designing meal programs to ensure food is culturally appropriate and satisfying. These recommendations are based on solid evidence from this research (moderate to high confidence).

Emergency management officials, humanitarian organizations, public health departments, and disaster relief planners should use these findings to improve their systems. People planning to volunteer in disaster relief should understand these nutrition challenges. Policymakers deciding on disaster preparedness budgets should prioritize food and water systems. However, this research is specific to earthquake disasters in Turkey and may need adjustment for other types of disasters or different regions.

Nutrition problems began immediately after the earthquake and were still significant when researchers conducted interviews in 2023. Improving nutrition would likely take weeks to months of consistent, quality food and water provision. Some nutrient deficiencies (like vitamin D or iron) take longer to develop and recover from, potentially requiring several months of proper nutrition.

Want to Apply This Research?

  • If you’re involved in disaster relief, track daily water distribution (liters per person), daily meals provided (with nutritional content), and beneficiary satisfaction scores. Monitor specific nutrients: protein grams per meal, fiber content, and whether meals include calcium-rich or iron-rich foods.
  • Relief coordinators can use an app to log each meal provided, including ingredients and estimated nutritional content. This creates real-time visibility into whether nutrition guidelines are being met. Volunteers can use the app to report food safety concerns or equipment needs immediately, allowing faster problem-solving.
  • Set up weekly nutrition audits comparing provided meals against recommended daily values. Track water access separately from food access. Monitor satisfaction scores from beneficiaries weekly. Create alerts when any nutrient category falls below 80% of recommended intake. Compare outcomes between different relief sites to identify best practices.

This research describes conditions specific to the 2023 Turkey earthquake and should not be used as medical advice for individual nutrition or health concerns. If you have questions about your own nutrition or health after a disaster, consult with a healthcare provider or registered dietitian. This study shows associations between food problems and nutrition status but cannot prove that one directly causes the other. Emergency response decisions should consider this research alongside other evidence, local conditions, and expert guidance from public health and nutrition professionals.