Abstract

PICO FONSECA, Sayda Milena  and  PACHON, Helena. Factores asociados con la seguridad alimentaria en un Municipio Rural del norte del Cauca, Colombia. ALAN [online]. 2012, vol.62, n.3, pp.227-233. ISSN 0004-0622.

Factors associated with food security in a rural Municipality in northern Cauca, Colombia. Food security is sufficient access to safe and nutritious foods to satisfy nutritional needs and personal preferences, and to lead a healthy and active life. The current study evaluated food security in 302 families with school-age children living in a rural municipality in Cauca, Colombia, and factors associated with food security. Families were participating in an evaluation of the nutrition impact of an intervention with nutritionally improved maize. A12-item food security scale was applied to the household head, as well as a sociodemographic survey. Families were classified as food secure, or mildly, moderately or severely food insecure. Among households, 44,37% were classified as food secure and 55,63% as food insecure (with 41,39% as mildly insecure, 12,25% as moderately insecure and 1,99% as severely insecure). Food-insecure families had fewer persons working relative to the total individuals in the home, 4 or fewer services or assets, and children with a reduced appetite, in comparison with food-secure households. In conclusion, more than half of the sample was food insecure; the factors associated with food insecurity relate to family income.

Keywords : Food insecurity; school-age children; rural; Colombia.

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