Food insecurity in Venezuelan migrants in Trinidad and Tobago using the food insecurity experience scale.

Economic, political, humanitarian and health crises in Venezuela have resulted in mass out migration -thousands of Venezuelans emigrated to Trinidad and Tobago. However, little is known about their food security status in the host country. This study assessed the food security status among Venezuelan migrants and asylum seekers in Trinidad and Tobago and tested the validity of the online application of the food insecurity experience scale (FIES), a tool to measure food insecurity, in a small group. This convenience, cross-sectional study applied an online questionnaire to 433 Venezuelan migrants in Trinidad and Tobago in 2020. Snowball sampling was used to connect to migrants based on their access to locally-based NGO service providers, and organizations directly connected to the Venezuelan migrant community. Researchers applied the 12-month reference period to the FIES to measure food insecurity at the individual level. Descriptive analyses, Rasch modeling and binary logistic regression were conducted. Overall, 61.9% of respondents displayed behaviors characterized as severely food insecure. Significant differences in food security status were observed when categories of employment status (p = 0.032) and paying rent (p = 0.005) were considered. There were greater proportions of unemployed individuals who were severely food insecure (67.6%) compared to those who were employed (56.7%). There were greater proportions of individuals paying rent who were severely food insecure (62.6%) compared to those who were not paying rent (50.0%). Logistic regression with adjusted odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals revealed that food insecurity was less likely among migrants who were employed (OR 0.112, 95% CI 0.016-0.763) relative to those who were not employed, while food insecurity was more likely among migrants who were paying rent (OR 7.325, 95% CI 1.965-27.312) relative to those not paying rent. The FIES was consistent in assessing food security status. These findings provide a rapid assessment that can be used to galvanize international, national and community-level stakeholders to devise and target responses to assist migrants experiencing food insecurity.

Rapid increase of overweight and obesity among primary school-aged children in the Caribbean; high initial BMI is the most significant predictor.

BACKGROUND: To examine predictors of increasing overweight among children in two developing countries. METHODS: Primary school children (6-10 y at baseline, n = 336) and their caregivers.Longitudinal data were collected in 2012, with follow-up 18 months later. Data on children's height, weight and dietary intake were collected within 8 primary public schools in Trinidad and 7 schools in St. Kitts. Caregivers' demographic and anthropometric data were also collected. RESULTS: At baseline, children's age and sex and caregivers' BMI, age, and marital status and reported dietary intake were similar across all weight groups. The incidence of overweight and obesity among children was 8.8% and 8.1%, respectively. Dietary intake at baseline was not related to becoming overweight or obese. Similarly there were no differences in reported intake among children who became overweight or obese except that they consumed fewer fruits (0.54±0.92 vs. 0.98±1.66, p = 0.017). Misreporting of energy intake was higher among overweight/obese children as compared to those who were not overweight/obese (27% vs. 17%, p = 0.047). The baseline predictors of increasing BMI (adjusted) of the children were older age, higher baseline BMI z-score and higher height-for-age (HFA) z-score; caregiver BMI, children's energy intake (with adjustment for misreporting) did not predict changes in children's BMI. CONCLUSIONS: The increasing prevalence of overweight/obesity among children is a serious problem in the Caribbean. Heavier children are at elevated risk of continued rapid increase in their weight status, pointing to the need for early intervention.

A community based rehabilitation service and food related problems of parents/caregivers of children with disabilities

Community based rehabilitation is a concept first documented by WHO in 1979 which covers all disabilities and all age groups. It places the responsibility for service delivery on the family and is administered by a health infrastructure. In other words it is a service which includes older persons as well as children with all types of disability, provided in the community by the community. The 3D Projects Limited is the first fully established community based rehabilitation programme in Jamaica which has been in operation since 1980. The programme is unique in that it utilizes local resources within the community, and low cost methods in meeting the needs of the disabled in the community. The study aimed to determine how a comunity based rehabilitation service is meeting the nutritional needs of parents/caregivers of children with cereberal palsy. All parents/caregivers of children with cerebral palsy enrolled in the 3D Projects programme and the community rehabilitation workers within the four urban areas in the parish of St. Catherine were included in the study. Data were collected by focus group discussions and self-administered questionaires in three of the 3D Projects Limited facilities in the parish of St. Catherine. The sample consisted of 55 participants of which 40 were parents/caregivers (1 male and 39 females), and 15 community rehabilitation workers (1 male and 14 females) participated in the study. Parents/caregivers ranged from 18-60 years. Data were coded and analyzed manually, as well as in Epi Info Version 5, a statistical package for analysis of epidemiological data. Mean nutrition knowledge scores were slightly higher for CRWs than parents/caregivers. Using the correlation coefficient there was no correlation between mean nutrition knowledge score and age for both groups. However, when the t-test was used to compare mean nutrition knowledge score and gender, education and occupation for both groups no significant difference were observed. (AU)