title: Interpretations of the "balanced meal" household food security indicator.
abstract: The study objective was to quantify interpretations of the term "balanced meals" used in food security status assessments. Telephone interviews included 77 charitable food recipients in Hawaiì. After participants first responded to the question of whether they could afford to eat balanced meals, they next defined what a "balanced meal" meant. Qualitative responses were categorized into common themes. Forty-one (53%) indicated that a balanced meal consisted of at least three food groups.Thirty-one (40%) indicated something other than three food groups; five (6%) had no idea what a "balanced meal" meant. The findings question the validity and reliability of responses to "balanced meal" food security indicators in Hawaiì.
authors.affiliation: laniwai4@pixi.com
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Derrickson
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sakai
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Anderson
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D005191:Family Characteristics; D005247:Feeding Behavior / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D005523:Food Supply; D006254:Hawaii; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D009747:Nutritional Physiological Phenomena / Q000502:physiology*