title: Food and nutrition insecurity: a marker of vulnerability to asthma symptoms.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the association between food and nutrition insecurity and asthma in children from Latin America.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional study.
  
  
  METHODS
  São Francisco do Conde, Bahia, north-eastern Brazil.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study included 1307 children aged 6-12 years from public elementary schools. Asthma symptoms were collected using a questionnaire that was translated and adapted from the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood, phase III. The diagnosis of asthma was determined based on reports of wheezing in the previous 12 months. The Brazilian Food Insecurity Scale was used to identify food insecurity. We also obtained demographic, socio-economic and anthropometric information for each participant. We used multivariate logistic regression analyses to assess the associations of interest.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the children surveyed, 10·4% had a history of wheezing and 64·5% had some degree of food and nutrition insecurity. We found a positive dose-response relationship and statistically significant associations of asthma with moderate (OR = 1·71, 95% CI 1·01, 2·89) and severe (OR = 2·51, 95% CI 1·28, 4·93) food and nutrition insecurity.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results show that moderate and severe food and nutrition insecurity are markers of vulnerability to wheezing. It is important to note that the results of studies in this field have potential implications for social policies that promote food security. Further studies to identify the mechanisms involved in the relationship between food and nutrition insecurity and asthma are needed.
authors: 1 Departamento Ciência da Nutrição, Escola de Nutrição, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Salvador, Bahia, Brasil.
authors: Rita de Cássia
authors: Rde C
authors: Ribeiro-Silva
authors: 1 Departamento Ciência da Nutrição, Escola de Nutrição, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Salvador, Bahia, Brasil.
authors: Ana Marlúcia
authors: AM
authors: Oliveira-Assis
authors: 2 Departamento de Ciências da Biointeração, Instituto de Ciências da Saúde, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Salvador, Bahia, Brasil.
authors: Samuel Badaró
authors: SB
authors: Junqueira
authors: 3 Instituto de Matemática, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Salvador, Bahia, Brasil.
authors: Rosemeire Leovigildo
authors: RL
authors: Fiaccone
authors: 1 Departamento Ciência da Nutrição, Escola de Nutrição, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Salvador, Bahia, Brasil.
authors: Sandra Maria Chaves
authors: SM
authors: Dos Santos
authors: 4 Instituto de Saúde Coletiva, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Salvador, Bahia, Brasil.
authors: Maurício Lima
authors: ML
authors: Barreto
authors: 1 Departamento Ciência da Nutrição, Escola de Nutrição, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Salvador, Bahia, Brasil.
authors: Elizabete
authors: E
authors: de Jesus Pinto
authors: 1 Departamento Ciência da Nutrição, Escola de Nutrição, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Salvador, Bahia, Brasil.
authors: Luce Alves
authors: LA
authors: da Silva
authors: 5 Department of Epidemiology and Population Health, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK.
authors: Laura Cunha
authors: LC
authors: Rodrigues
authors: 2 Departamento de Ciências da Biointeração, Instituto de Ciências da Saúde, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Salvador, Bahia, Brasil.
authors: Neuza Maria
authors: NM
authors: Alcantara-Neves
mesh_terms: D001249:Asthma / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology; D015992:Body Mass Index; D001938:Brazil; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005523:Food Supply; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009752:Nutritional Status; D015995:Prevalence; D012135:Respiratory Sounds / Q000503:physiopathology; D012307:Risk Factors; D012574:Schools; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors