[Validation of an instrument to monitor food insecurity in Sierra de Manantlán, Jalisco].
OBJECTIVE
To validate a version of the Food Security Scale (FSS) in communities located in Sierra de Manantlán, Jalisco.


METHODS
Using focus groups, the FSS was modified to fit the Mexican context. Subsequently, a survey was applied to women with pre-school aged children. The FSS was validated in correlation with a household food inventory and the dietary variety of the individual being interviewed. The interview also included a socioeconomic questionnaire.


RESULTS
Forty-four percent of the households reported mild food insecurity, 33% reported moderate hunger and 19.7% reported severe hunger. Food insecurity was significantly and inversely correlated with the number of food items in the household (r=-0.36**), animal source foods (r=-0.28**), dairy products (r=-0.25*), processed foods (r=-0.37**), fruits (r=-0.21*), and vegetables (r=-0.28**); *p<0.05, **p< 0.01. Food insecurity was also associated with low dietary variety (r=-0.23, p=0.02). These associations were maintained in multivariate models.


CONCLUSIONS
The FSS is a useful tool for monitoring food insecurity in rural regions of Jalisco.
Melgar-Quiñonez
Hugo
H
Department of Human Nutrition, The Ohio State University, Columbus 43210-1295, USA. melgar-quinonez.I@osu.edu
Zubieta
Ana Claudia
AC
Valdez
Enriqueta
E
Whitelaw
Barbara
B
Kaiser
Lucia
L
D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D005523:Food Supply / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D008800:Mexico; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires