title: [Factors associated with food security in a rural municipality in northern Cauca, Colombia].
abstract: 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.
authors.forename: Sayda Milena
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Pico Fonseca
authors.forename: Helena
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Pachón
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D003105:Colombia / Q000208:ethnology; D005191:Family Characteristics; D005260:Female; D005523:Food Supply / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D007199:Indians, South American / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D009752:Nutritional Status; D012424:Rural Population; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors