Food variety consumption and household food insecurity coping strategies after the 2010 landslide disaster - the case of Uganda.
To evaluate the nutritional situation of the victims of the 2010 landslide disaster in Uganda, food varieties consumed and coping strategies were assessed.



Cross-sectional. Food variety scores (FVS) were obtained as the total of food items eaten over the last week while an index was based on severity weighting of household food insecurity coping strategies. We included 545 affected and 533 control households.



Victims in the affected Bududa district in Eastern Uganda and those victims resettled in the Kiryandongo district, Western Uganda.



Adjusted for covariates, in Bududa significantly higher mean FVS were observed among: affected than controls; farmers than others; and relief food recipients. Control households scored higher means (se) on severity of coping: 28·6 (1·3) v. 19·2 (1·2; P<0·01). In Kiryandongo, significantly higher FVS were observed among: control households; household heads educated above primary school; those with assets that complement food source; and recipients of relief food. Severity of coping was significantly higher among affected households and non-recipients of relief food. Affected households had a higher likelihood to skip a day without eating a household meal in Bududa (OR=2·31; 95 % CI 1·62, 3·29; P<0·01) and Kiryandongo (OR=1·77; 95 % CI 1·23, 2·57; P<0·01).



Whereas FVS and severity of coping showed opposite trends in the two districts, resettlement into Kiryandongo led to severe coping experiences. Administrative measures that provide a combination of relief food, social protection and resettlement integration may offset undesirable coping strategies affecting diet.
1Department of Human Nutrition and Home Economics,Kyambogo University,Kampala,Uganda.
Peter M
PM
Rukundo
3Faculty of Applied Health Sciences,Oslo and Akershus University College of Applied Sciences,Oslo,Norway.
Arne
A
Oshaug
4Norwegian Centre for Human Rights, Faculty of Law,University of Oslo,Oslo,Norway.
Bård A
BA
Andreassen
5School of Food Technology,Nutrition and Bio-engineering,Makerere University,Makerere,Uganda.
Joyce
J
Kikafunda
6School of Liberal and Performing Arts,Makerere University,Makerere,Uganda.
Byaruhanga
B
Rukooko
2Department of Nutrition,Institute of Basic Medical Sciences,University of Oslo,1046 Blindern,0317 Oslo,Norway.
Per O
PO
Iversen
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004032:Diet; D004190:Disasters; D005191:Family Characteristics; D005523:Food Supply; D006801:Humans; D055876:Landslides; D008875:Middle Aged; D014454:Uganda
Disaster; Food insecurity; Nutrition; Resettlement