title: What are we measuring? Comparison of household food security indicators in the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa.
abstract: The development of national food security information systems is constrained by a lack of guidance on which indicators to use. This paper compares food security indicators across two seasons (summer and winter) in one of the most deprived areas of the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. The results show that only anthropometric indicators are sensitive enough to differentiate levels of food insecurity. The lack of consistent classification across indicators means that surveys must use a combination of food consumption and experience of hunger measures backed up by anthropometric measures. Targeting interventions is difficult if the measures cannot be relied on. Further investigation is needed to identify a suite of appropriate indicators for a national information and surveillance system.
authors.affiliation: a Institute for Food, Nutrition and Well-being and DST/NRF Centre of Excellence in Food Security , University of Pretoria , Pretoria , South Africa.
authors.forename: Sheryl L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Hendriks
authors.affiliation: b School for Information Technology , University of Pretoria , Pretoria , South Africa.
authors.forename: Corné
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: van der Merwe
authors.affiliation: c Department of Agricultural Economics, Extension and Rural Development , University of Pretoria , Pretoria , South Africa .
authors.forename: Mjabuliseni S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Ngidi
authors.affiliation: c Department of Agricultural Economics, Extension and Rural Development , University of Pretoria , Pretoria , South Africa .
authors.forename: Christopher
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Manyamba
authors.affiliation: c Department of Agricultural Economics, Extension and Rural Development , University of Pretoria , Pretoria , South Africa .
authors.forename: Mondli
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mbele
authors.affiliation: c Department of Agricultural Economics, Extension and Rural Development , University of Pretoria , Pretoria , South Africa .
authors.forename: Angela M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: McIntyre
authors.affiliation: c Department of Agricultural Economics, Extension and Rural Development , University of Pretoria , Pretoria , South Africa .
authors.forename: Elizabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Mkandawire
authors.affiliation: c Department of Agricultural Economics, Extension and Rural Development , University of Pretoria , Pretoria , South Africa .
authors.forename: Queeneth N
authors.initials: QN
authors.lastname: Molefe
authors.affiliation: c Department of Agricultural Economics, Extension and Rural Development , University of Pretoria , Pretoria , South Africa .
authors.forename: Mulalo Q
authors.initials: MQ
authors.lastname: Mphephu
authors.affiliation: c Department of Agricultural Economics, Extension and Rural Development , University of Pretoria , Pretoria , South Africa .
authors.forename: Lithle
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ngwane
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001827:Body Height; D015992:Body Mass Index; D001835:Body Weight; D017028:Caregivers; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005191:Family Characteristics; D005260:Female; D005523:Food Supply / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006130:Growth Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D006815:Hunger; D007223:Infant; D044342:Malnutrition / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009749:Nutrition Surveys; D009752:Nutritional Status; D012424:Rural Population; D012621:Seasons; D013019:South Africa / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Anthropometric indicators; food insecurity; food security indicators; foodsecurity information system; hunger; indicators