Validación de un instrumento para vigilar la inseguridad alimentaria en la Sierra de

Abstract

Objective. To validate a version of the Food Security Scale (FSS) in communities located in Sierra de Manantlán, Jalisco. Material and 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.