Association of household food security and dietary diversity of mother-child pairs in the Philippines

@#Introduction: The majority of Filipino households experience food insecurity. Mothers and children are among the population groups suffering from poor diet quality. This study aimed to determine the extent of the association of household food security (HFS) to mothers’ and children’s dietary diversity score (DDS), and to identify the significant factors associated with meeting the DDS of these vulnerable groups. Methods: The study was a cross-sectional, population-based study utilising secondary data from the 2015 Updating Survey. From a total of 6,692 mother-child pairs, the association between HFS and meeting the DDS of mothers and children, as well as the potential predictors for meeting the DDS were tested using descriptive and logistic regression analyses. Results: The findings showed that HFS was significantly associated with meeting the DDS of mothers and children aged 6-36 months (p<0.001). The proportion of meeting the DDS among mothers and children was significantly higher in food-secure than in food-insecure households (20.7% vs. 14.4%). Furthermore, meeting the DDS decreased with increasing levels of food insecurity. Household food security status, education background, employment, child’s age, and wealth status were significantly associated with meeting the DDS. Conclusion: This study showed the extent of how food security was associated with meeting the DDS of mothers, children, and mother-child pairs, and the factors associated with meeting the DDS. Results can be used to strengthen the formulation of appropriate, evidence-based policies to address household food insecurity and low DDS among mothers and young children.

Are household food security, nutrient adequacy, and childhood nutrition clustered together? A cross-sectional study in Bankura, West Bengal

Background: Research on different measures of food security and their interrelation in order to identify vulnerable households are scarce in India. Objectives: The objective was to assess household food security (HHFS), nutrient adequacy, dietary diversity, and nutritional status of under-five children along with their interrelation in the slums of Bankura Municipality, West Bengal. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted during 2016–2017 among 240 households using two-stage 30-cluster random sampling. Information regarding socioeconomic characteristics, availability, and utilization of different poverty alleviation schemes was collected. HHFS was assessed by a validated HHFS scale-short form in Bengali and nutrient adequacy with 24-h recall method. The eldest under-five child in the family was measured for anthropometry using standard procedure and for dietary diversity with the Individual Dietary Diversity Score. Results: Overall, 74 (29.1%) households had “food security,” whereas 102 (44.3%) and 64 (26.6%) had, respectively, low and very low food security. Among 190 under-five children, 63 (35.3%) had single and 50 (25.5%) had multiple anthropometric failures. Overall, 89 (36.1%) households were deficient for both energy and protein and 111 (47.6%) had deficiency of either of these two. Indicators on the utilization of different poverty alleviation schemes were associated with low/very low food security. A “Composite Index of Food Scarcity” comprising of HHFS, nutrient adequacy, and dietary diversity was proposed which was found to have dose–response relationship with grades of anthropometric failure of under-five children. Conclusions: An index comprising of three indicators might help identify the vulnerable households in relation to food security more effectively than a single indicator.

Household food security and with stunting among preschool children in Occidental Mindoro

@#<p><strong>Background and Objective:</strong> Food security is achieved when the population at all times has access to safe, sufficient, and nutritious food to sustain a healthy and active life. This study aimed to determine the significant association between household food security and the prevalence of stunting among preschool children in Occidental Mindoro.</p><p><strong>Methods:</strong> This study utilized a cross- sectional study design and a three-level, multi-stage, stratified random sampling to answer the study objectives. A total of 480 preschool children (n=240 urban; n= 240 rural) were included in the study. The Radimer-Cornell Tool was used to determine the food security status of the household. A validated- constructed questionnaire was used to determine other factors which were controlled in this study. Multiple Logistic Regression was used to determine significant association between the exposure and the outcome variable while controlling the confounding variable simultaneously.</p><p><strong>Results:</strong> This study revealed that the prevalence of food insecurity in the province was 51.04% (95% CI: 46.55, 55.53) while the prevalence of stunting was 36.04% (95%CI: 31.73, 40.35). Meanwhile, after controlling the confounding effect of household income and low dietary diversity score it was found that the odds of having a stunted child were 23 times higher among food insecure households (OR: 23.00, 95%CI: 12.05, 43.91).</p><p><strong>Conclusion:</strong> Based on the results of this study, the magnitude of household food insecurity and stunting were<br />found to be very high in the study areas. There was a significant association between household food security<br />and stunting among preschool children.</p>

Seguridad alimentaria en familias vulnerables de Cajicá, Colombia, 2012 / Food security in vulnerable households of Cajicá, Colombia, 2012

Introducción. Según los datos de la Encuesta de la Situación Nutricional de Colombia (ENSIN, 2005 y 2010), la inseguridad alimentaria ha aumentado en el país, pasando de 40,8 % a 42,7 % y siendo más evidente en las zonas urbanas. Para el caso de Cundinamarca, en el 2010, aproximadamente, una de cada tres familias se encontraba en inseguridad alimentaria. El objetivo de este estudio fue hacer un diagnóstico de la seguridad alimentaria de las familias de los niños atendidos por la ONG “Niños sin hambre” del municipio de Cajicá, Cundinamarca. Metodología. En noviembre de 2011, un equipo multidisciplinario de profesionales del Grupo de Nutrición, Genética y Metabolismo de la Universidad El Bosque, llevó a cabo un estudio exploratorio del estado de seguridad alimentaria de las 19 familias de los 50 niños atendidos por la ONG, aplicando el instrumento “Escala de seguridad alimentaria en el hogar”, validado previamente en el país. Resultados. Se encontró que cuatro familias tenían seguridad alimentaria y 15 se encontraban con algún grado de inseguridad alimentaria. Las 15 familias que dependían de la agricultura son las mismas que tuvieron algún grado de inseguridad alimentaria. Conclusiones. La oportuna acción en el marco de las actividades de proyección social e investigación del Grupo de Nutrición, Genética y Metabolismo, permitió establecer el estado de inseguridad alimentaria y proponer acciones en el ámbito privado y público para aportar soluciones de emergencia a las familias identificadas.

Introduction: According to data from the Encuesta de la Situación Nutricional de Colombia (ENSIN, 2005 and 2010) food insecurity increased in the country from 40.8% to 42.7%, being more evident in urban areas. In the case of Cundinamarca, in 2010, approximately, 1 in 3 families were food insecure. The aim of this study was to conduct an assessment of food security in families of children served by the NGO “Niños sin hambre” of the municipality of Cajicá, Cundinamarca. Methodology: In November, 2011, an interdisciplinary team of professionals from the Grupo de Nutrición, Genética y Metabolismo of the Universidad El Bosque made a diagnosis of food safety for 19 families of the 50 children served by the NGO applying the instrument “Scale Household Food Security”. The instrument had been previously validated in the country. Results: It was found that 4 families had food security and that 15 families had some degree of food insecurity. Families who depended on agriculture (15 families) were the same that had some degree of food insecurity. Conclusions: Opportune action by the social outreach activities and research of the Grupo de Nutrición, Genética y Metabolismo identified the state of food insecurity and took action in the private and public sectors to provide emergency solutions for the families.

Estado nutricional y seguridad alimentaria del hogar en niños y jóvenes de zonas suburbanas de caracas / Nutritional status and Household food security in children and adolescents in suburban areas of baruta and el hatillo, caracas

Las condiciones de vida y salud tienen un efecto sobre el estado nutricional de niños y jóvenes que crecen y se desarrollan en ambientes desfavorables. El objetivo de este trabajo fue evaluar la asociación entre seguridad alimentaria en el hogar con estado nutricional. El estudio es de tipo transversal. La muestra estuvo constituida por 112 niños y jóvenes entre 3 y 16 años de edad de uno y otro sexo, perteneciente a comunidades suburbanas de los Municipios Baruta y el Hatillo, que forman parte de una submuestra del macro proyecto “Evaluación del Estado Nutricional y Seguridad Alimentaria en comunidades suburbana de los Municipios Baruta y el Hatillo” del Estado Miranda. Se utilizaron talla para la edad (TE) y peso para la edad (PE) e indicadores de composición corporal. La seguridad alimentaria en el hogar se midió con la escala de Lorenzana y Sanjur. Se calcularon valores Z para diagnóstico nutricional. Se aplicó una correlación de Sperman (p< 0,05) entre las categorías de los indicadores. El 70,53 % de los hogares presentaron algún grado de inseguridad alimentaria. Para el estado nutricional por el indicador TE 46.43% presentaron valores de déficit. Se encontraron sujetos con estado nutricional deficitarios en hogares seguros (26.92%) y con estado nutricional adecuado en hogares inseguros (70.17%). Este trabajo no demostró una asociación significativa (p >0.05) entre la inseguridad alimentaria en el hogar y estado nutricional(AU)

Living conditions and health have an effect on the nutritional status of children and adolescents´ growth and development in poor environments. The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between household food security with nutrition. Indicators used were height for age (HA), weight for age (WA), and body composition. The study was cross-sectional. The sample size consisted of 112 children between 3 and 16 years old of both sexes, who belong to suburban communities of Baruta and Hatillo Municipality, as a part of a subsample of the macro project “Assessment of Nutritional Status and Food Security in suburban communities and municipalities Baruta Hatillo” in Miranda State. The household food security was measured with the scale Lorenzana and Sanjur. Z scores were calculated for nutritional diagnosis. We applied a Spearman correlation (p <0.05) between categories of indicators. The 70.53% of households had some degree of food insecurity. HA showed 46.43% of deficit. We found nutritional deficient status in households with plenty of food security (26.92%), and adequate nutritional status in food insecurity households (70.17%). This study does not provide statistical association between household food insecurity and nutritional status(AU)

Food Security and Anthropometric Failure Among Tribal Children in Bankura, West Bengal.

We conducted a cross-sectional study among 188 tribal children aged 6-59 months using two-stage sampling in Bankura-I Block of Bankura district, West Bengal, India, to assess their nutritional status and its relation with household food security. Weight and height/length were measured and analyzed as per new WHO Growth Standards. Mothers of the study children were interviewed to obtain relevant information. Prevalence of Composite Index of Anthropometric Failure was 69.1% and multiple anthropometric failures were more likely among tribal children aged 24-59 months with irregular utilization of supplementary nutrition and from households with severe grades of food security.

Seguridad alimentaria: un método alterno frente a uno clásico / Household food security: comparing an alternative method to a classical one

Objetivos Evaluar durante 2007-2008 el desempeño la Escala de Percepción de Seguridad Alimentaria (EPSA) frente a la inseguridad alimentaria (IA) determinada con base en la energía usualmente consumida. Métodos Participaron 211 hogares. El responsable de la preparación de los alimentos contestó la EPSA, otro integrante del hogar contestó dos veces un recordatorio del consumo de veinticuatro horas (R24H). El referente fue la IA por el R24H y la prueba la EPSA. Resultados La IA por el R24H fue del 48,8 por ciento, con la EPSA de 19,4 por ciento. La sensibilidad de la EPSA fue de 16,5 por ciento, la especificidad de 77,8 por ciento. El acuerdo según la Kappa fue de -0,06 (IC; -0,20 a -0,03). Conclusiones Bajo el supuesto de equivalencia de métodos, la EPSA subestima la inseguridad alimentaria en el hogar. Los resultados de la EPSA comparados con los del R24H no son coherentes.

Objective Establishing the performance of the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) household food security scale (EPSA) which is being used in Latin-America and the Caribbean, compared to a traditionally-used method (food insecurity scale) which has led to establishing food security at individual and population level. The performance of the household food security scale (EPSA) was evaluated during 2007-2008 and compared to that of the food insecurity (FI) scale based on the energy usually consumed. Methods Two hundred and eleven household participated in the study. The person responsible for preparing food in the home answered the EPSA questionnaire. Another household member filled in a form recording the last twenty-four hours' household consumption (R24H) (on two different occasions). The study was validated by food insecurity from R24H and supposed food security from the EPSA questionnaire. Results Food insecurity by R24H was 48.8 percent and 19.4 percent on the EPSA. The EPSA had 16.5 percent sensitivity and 77.8 percent specificity. Agreement between both methods according to Cohen's Kappa was -0.06 (-0.20-0.03 CI). Conclusion Assuming equivalence of methods, the EPSA greatly underestimated household food insecurity. The EPSA results compared to those arising from the R24H were not very coherent. Some implications are discussed regarding related public policy.

Canasta básica de alimentos real en hogares beneficiarios de la Fundación Ximena Rico Llano de Medellín-Colombia / Basic foods in households receiving benefits from Ximena Rico Llano Foundation, Medellín-Colombia

Objetivo: establecer la composición de la canasta básica de alimentos real, el hábito de compra y el costo de los productos no alimentarios en hogares beneficiarios de la Fundación Ximena Rico Llano de Medellín-Colombia, en el año 2007. Materiales y métodos: estudio transversal en una muestra representativa y aleatoria de 91 hogares de la Fundación. Se aplicó una encuesta estructurada que permitió definir la canasta básica de alimentos real a partir de la disponibilidad mensual de alimentos y la determinación del hábito de compra, volumen de compra, costo, aporte de energía y aporte de proteínas provenientes de los productos alimentarios. Adicionalmente se definió la disponibilidad y costos de los productos no alimentarios adquiridos en los hogares. Resultados: la canasta básica de alimentos estuvo constituida en promedio por 30 alimentos distribuidos en doce grupos; sin embargo 16% de las familias no disponía en su canasta básica de alimentos como carne y vísceras, sustitutos de la carne, leguminosas, lácteos, bebidas, frutas y verduras. El costo de la canasta básica de alimentos fue de $448.623 (US$216), equivalente a 1,03 salarios mínimos mensuales legales vigentes. El costo de los productos no alimenticios equivalía al 14,03% del gasto mensual de los hogares en la canasta. Conclusiones: la canasta básica de alimentos de los hogares de la Fundación Ximena Rico Llano estuvo conformada por 30 alimentos, presentando poca variedad en la compra y comprometiendo el aporte nutricional de la dieta. La adquisición de productos no alimentarios (artículos para aseo personal y del hogar) representa un rubro importante dentro de los gastos mensuales, lo que puede comprometer la compra de alimentos.

Objective: to determine in the households receiving benefits from Ximena Rico Llano foundation Medellin-Colombia, the composition of consumed food, what foods these families use to buy and the cost for no nutritious food. Materials and methods: cross sectional study. Randomized and representative sample of 91 families from the foundation were selected. An structured survey was applied to define the basic foods consumed according the accessibility and to determine what type and how much food families buy, and also the cost, calories and proteins content of these foods. Moreover the cost and the accessibility for no nutritious food were also identified. Results: the basic meals consumed for families were represented for 30 aliments distributed in 12 groups; however 16% of the families didn’t have access to staple food like meat, legumes, dairy products, fruits and vegetables. The cost of the basic food was about $448.623 (US$216), it was the equivalent to 1,03 basic wage. The cost for no nutritious food represented 14% of the total Money spending in food per month. Conclusions: the basic foods of the families from Ximena Rico Llano Foundation consisted of 30 aliments, and no variety was observed. These families didn’t meet the nutritional requirements. Acquisition of products different to food represented another important investments that restrain families to spent more in staple food.

Enduring starvation in silent Population: A study on prevalence and factors contributing to household food security in the tribal population in Bankura, West Bengal.

Background : Strengthening food security enhancement intervention should be based on the assessment of household food security and its correlates. Objectives: The objective was to find out the prevalence and factors contributing to household food security in a tribal population in Bankura. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 267 tribal households in Bankura-I CD Block selected through cluster random sampling. Household food security was assessed using a validated Bengali version of Household Food Security Scale-Short Form along with the collection of information regarding the monthly per capita expenditure (MPCE), total to earning member ratio, BPL card holding, utilization of the public distribution system (PDS) and receipt of any social assistance through a house-to-house survey. Result and Conclusion: Overall, 47.2% of study households were food secure whereas 29.6% and 23.2% were low and very low food secure, respectively. MPCE ≥ Rs. 356, total to earning member ratio ≤ 4:1, regular utilization of PDS, and nonholding of the BPL card were significantly related with household food security.

Household food insecurity and coping strategies in a poor rural community in Malaysia

This cross-sectional study assessed household food insecurity among low-income rural communities and examined its association with demographic and socioeconomic factors as well as coping strategies to minimize food insecurity. Demographic, socioeconomic, expenditure and coping strategy data were collected from 200 women of poor households in a rural community in Malaysia. Households were categorized as either food secure (n=84) or food insecure (n=116) using the Radimer/Cornell Hunger and Food Insecurity instrument. T-test, Chi-square and logistic regression were utilized for comparison of factors between food secure and food insecure households and determination of factors associated with household food insecurity, respectively. More of the food insecure households were living below the poverty line, had a larger household size, more children and school-going children and mothers as housewives. As food insecure households had more school-going children, reducing expenditures on the children's education is an important strategy to reduce household expenditures. Borrowing money to buy foods, receiving foods from family members, relatives and neighbors and reducing the number of meals seemed to cushion the food insecure households from experiencing food insufficiency. Most of the food insecure households adopted the strategy on cooking whatever is available at home for their meals. The logistic regression model indicates that food insecure households were likely to have more children (OR=1.71; p<0.05) and non-working mothers (OR=6.15; p<0.05), did not own any land (OR=3.18; p<0.05) and adopted the strategy of food preparation based on whatever is available at their homes (OR=4.33; p<0.05). However, mothers who reported to borrow money to purchase food (OR=0.84; p<0.05) and households with higher incomes of fathers (OR=0.99; p<0.05) were more likely to be food secure. Understanding the factors that contribute to household food insecurity is imperative so that effective strategies could be developed and implemented.