Food insecurity among recipients of government assistance

• Autor(a) principal: Richetti ANSCHAU, Francielle
• Data de Publicação: 2023
• Outros Autores: MATSUO, Tiemi, SEGALL-CORRÊA, Ana Maria
• Tipo de documento: Artigo
• Idioma: por
• Título da fonte: Revista de Nutrição
• Texto Completo: https://periodicos.puc-campinas.edu.br/nutricao/article/view/9234
• topic: Hunger; Povety; Nutrition programs and policies; Food security; Fome; Pobreza; Programas e política de nutrição e alimentação; Segurança alimentar e nutricional

ObjectiveThis study analyzed the rate of food insecurity among recipients of government assistance and other factors associated with their conditions. MethodsThis cross-sectional study included 421 families from the municipality of Toledo, Paraná State, receiving government assistance. Data was collected from September/2006 to February/2007 during home interviews using the Brazilian Food Insecurity Scale, Economic Classification Questionnaires and other sociodemographic indicators. Variables were analyzed by the chi-square test, odds ratio and multivariate logistic regression. ResultsMost (74.6%) of the households experienced moderate (23.8%) to severe (5.9%) food insecurity. According to the chi-square test, the independent variables associated with food insecurity were per capita income, socioeconomic classes D or E, family members under 18, 7 or more people living in the household, low education level and head of family unemployed or doing informal work. According to multivariate logistic regression and considering mild food insecurity a dependent variable, the variables that remained associated with moderate and severe food insecurity were socioeconomic classes D or E (OR=2.88), 5 to 6 people living in the household(OR=2.90) or 7 or more (OR=3.05), and head of family unemployed or doing informal work (OR=1.87). ConclusionThe extreme social vulnerability of recipients of government assistance explains the high rate (74.6%) of food insecurity in this population. The results of this study suggest the need of job creation programs.