• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.135-142
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• 2018

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: This cross-sectional study assessed household food security status and determined its association with diet quality and weight status among indigenous women from the Mah Meri tribe in Peninsular Malaysia. SUBJECTS/METHODS: The Radimer/Cornell Hunger and Food Insecurity Instrument and the Malaysian Healthy Eating Index (HEI) were used to assess household food security status and diet quality, respectively. Information on socio-demographic characteristics and 24-hour dietary recall data were collected through face-to-face interview, and anthropometric measurements including weight, height, and body mass index (BMI) were obtained from 222 women. RESULTS: Majority of households (82.9%) experienced different levels of food insecurity: 29.3% household food insecurity, 23.4% individual food insecurity, and 30.2% fell into the child hunger group. The food-secure group had significantly fewer children and smaller household sizes than the food-insecure groups (P < 0.05). The mean household income, income per capita, and food expenditure significantly decreased as food insecurity worsened (P < 0.001). The food-secure group had significantly higher Malaysian HEI scores for grains and cereals (P < 0.01), as well as for meat, poultry, and eggs (P < 0.001), than the food-insecure groups. The child-hunger group had significantly higher fat (P < 0.05) and sodium (P < 0.001) scores than the food-secure and household food-insecure groups. Compared to the individual food-insecure and child-hunger groups, multivariate analysis of covariance showed that the food-secure group was significantly associated with a higher Malaysian HEI score while the household food-insecure group was significantly associated with a higher BMI after controlling for age (P < 0.025). CONCLUSIONS: The majority of indigenous households faced food insecurity. Food insecurity at the individual and child levels was associated with lower quality of diet, while food insecurity at the household level was associated with higher body weight. Therefore, a substantial effort by all stakeholders is warranted to improve food insecurity among poorer households. The results suggest a pressing need for nutritional interventions to improve dietary intake among low income households.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.42 no.4
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• pp.374-385
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• 2009

This study aims to develop an index of food security in order to assess food security status in Korea and to evaluate reliability and validity of the index. The index of food security was developed based on the US Household Food Security Survey Module (US-HFSS). After the US-HFSS was translated and back-translated, it was evaluated and modified by a focus interview for experts. The developed Korean Household Food Security Survey Module (K-HFSS) was tested by cognitive interviews and a pretest for general community population to assess its application for Korean population. For the reliability and validity of K-HFSS, the survey was conducted with 300 adults aged 40 years or more living in a rural community and 212 infants and toddlers living in an urban community. The reliability was assessed by Cronbach' alpha and the validity was evaluated by content validity, construct validity, and criterion-related validity. The questionnaire items of K-HFSS were partly modified, accounting for Korean social and cultural backgrounds and adapted by general community population. The reliability was relatively high, showing Cronbach' alpha coefficients ranged from 0.80 (for adults) to 0.87 (for infants and toddlers). The content and construct validities were all acceptable. The result of criterion-related validity showed that food security status was significantly related to the household income level. In conclusion, the K-HFSS would be used as a reliable and valid instrument to assess food security status in parts of the Korean population.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.269-283
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• 2023

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to examine the food security status of urban poor adolescents and its association with diet quality. SUBJECTS/METHODS: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 188 adolescents aged 13-18 yrs living in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Household food insecurity and dietary intake data were collected using the Radimer/Cornell hunger and food insecurity instrument and 2-day 24-h dietary recalls, respectively. Diet quality was determined using the Malaysian Healthy Eating Index (HEI). Weight and height were measured and body mass index-for-age, as well as height-for-age z scores were calculated. RESULTS: The present study revealed that 47.9% of the adolescents experienced household food insecurity, 24.5% experienced individual food insecurity, 18.6% household food security, and 9.0% child hunger. The mean score of diet quality was 56.83 ± 10.09, with a significantly lower HEI score among food insecure adolescents (household food insecure, individual food insecure, and child hunger) than household food secure adolescents (P = 0.001). The differences between food secure and food insecure households were found to be significant for energy (P = 0.001) and nutrients including proteins (P = 0.006), carbohydrates (P = 0.005), dietary fiber (P = 0.001), folate (P < 0.001), and vitamin C (P = 0.006). The multiple linear regression showed that adolescents who experienced food insecurity (β = -0.328; P = 0.003) were found to be significantly associated with poor diet quality (F = 2.726; P < 0.01), wherein 13.3% of the variation in the diet quality was explained by the food security status. CONCLUSIONS: Experiencing food insecurity contributed to poor diet quality among urban poor adolescents. Further longitudinal studies are needed to comprehensively understand this association to improve food insecurity and diet quality among urban poor communities.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.16 no.6
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• pp.771-781
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• 2011

The objective of this study was to assess the reliability and validity of food security measures, which was developed based on the US household food security survey module (US HFSSM) with content validity in the Korean population. The reliability and validity were assessed by internal consistency, construct validity and criterion-related validity. The study included 446 households. Among those, 46.2% were households with children. The proportion of food insecure households was 33.3%. Among those, 35.4% and 64.6% households were food insecure with hunger and without hunger, respectively. The Cronbach's alpha coefficients were 0.84 and the infit value by the Rasch model analysis ranged from 0.68 to 1.43. The scale item response curves by food insecurity severity explained well the nature and characteristics of food security, indicating the highest proportion of "yes" for the items on diet quality, followed by those with diet quantity. The result of criterion-related validity showed that food insecurity status was significantly related in a dose-response manner with the household income level, food expenditure, subjective health state, subjects' educational level. Household food security status was also related to dietary diversity regarding protein foods, fruits and fruit juice, and milk and dairy product. These findings suggest that the food security instrument is reliable and valid and would be used to assess food security status in the Korean population.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.44 no.6
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• pp.551-561
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• 2011

Given that household food security issues have become the concern of the Korean society, this study aimed to develop food security measures for the Korean population. Based on the literature reviews on previously developed food security measures, the 18-item US household food security survey module (US HFSSM) was adapted. The developed food security measures was assessed by qualitative validity method. It was evaluated and modified by face validity by expert focus groups belong to university, public health center, and government agencies and by cognitive interview by 40 subjects with low household income who live in an urban community and are participants in welfare programs of local districts. Then, it was reviewed and revised by the National Institute of the Korean Language and the advisory committee for nutrition survey of Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES). The results showed that the developed questionnaire items were well adapted by expert focus groups and general subjects, showing the feasibility of measuring food security with the developed measures although there were discrepancies in some expressions of questionnaire items between experts focus groups and general subjects. The study to assess reliability and quantitative validity of the developed food security measures should be further needed to examine its application for KNHANES.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.35 no.6
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• pp.650-657
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• 2002

In order to provide basic data for the means to improve food situation and nutritional status of those supported by the National Basic Livelihood Security System (NBLSS), we examined household food insecurity and nutritional status of children under the support of NBLSS. This study included 209 children aged 3-12 years (99 boys and 110 girls) and their caretakers. We measured house food insecurity using Radimer/cornell Scale, children's body sizes and nutrient intake by semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire, and caretakers' nutritional management skills. Only 9.6％ of the households were in food secured (FS) while 8.1％ were in household food insecured, but without hunger (HFI), 42.1％ were in adult food insecured with hunger (AFI), and 40.2％ were in child hungry (CH). Important predictors of food security were nutritional management skills of the caretakers as well as their education, but neither income nor food expenditure of the households. Mean energy intake of the children was 86.0％ of the Korean Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA). Intakes of protein, phosphorous, vitamin A and B$_1$ were relatively high ranging from 112.3％ to 124.4％ of the RDAs while those of calcium, iron, niacin, vitamin C were low showing 74.8-83.3％ of the RDAs. Height, weight and weight/height ratio were close to the reference levels. Lower nutrient intakes of children were observed as the households were more food insecured. However, nutrient intakes and body sizes of children did not differ as a function of household socioeconomic status representing by income, food expenditure and caretakers' education. Results of this study suggest the importance of food security and nutritional management skills for the children's nutrient intakes. Concerning this matter, a need for nutrition education in the program for NBLSS was discussed.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.216-227
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• 2022

Background: Food insecurity may contribute to mental health indicators such as stress, anxiety, or depression. We investigated whether food insecurity was associated with mental health indicators and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in a representative sample of the Korean population. Methods: This study enrolled 12,987 adults without a history of medically serious disease from the 2012, 2013, and 2015 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Household food security status was categorized as "food security," "mild food insecurity," and "moderate/severe food insecurity." The association between mental health and HRQoL was evaluated using a multivariate logistic regression model with food security as the reference group. Results: The adjusted odds ratio of adverse mental health or low HRQoL increased significantly in mild or moderate/severe food insecurity compared to food security. In the moderate/severe food insecurity group, it was 1.98% (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.31-2.99) higher for perceived stress, 3.58% (95% CI, 2.44-5.26) higher for depression symptoms, 4.16% (95% CI, 2.68-6.45) higher for suicidal ideation, and 2.81% (95% CI, 1.91-4.15) higher for quality of life. Conclusion: Food insecurity was strongly associated with negative mental health status and poor HRQoL. There is a need for a dietary support program that provides psychosocial support to those experiencing food insecurity.

• The Journal of Asian Finance, Economics and Business
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.1225-1235
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• 2021

This study aims to analyze the influence of farmer characteristics, Ihsan attitude, economic conditions, and socio-cultural environmental support, and the number of family members on farmer behavior in meeting food needs in realizing household food security, with the role of the government as a moderator. This study is about the relationship between farmer behavior and their household food security. This research uses a quantitative research method involving 337 farmers from three villages located in three different sub-districts, namely Alang-alang village, Tragah sub-district, Mrecah village, Tanah Merah sub-district, and finally Gangsean village, Sepulu sub-district. The quantitative analysis approach consists of formulating problems, compiling models, obtaining data, finding solutions, testing solutions, analyzing results, and interpreting results. From the 7 hypotheses that were built, it was identified that there was 1 hypothesis that was not significant, namely the influence of the support of the socio-cultural environment on farmer behavior to meet the food needs of farmers' households. The attitude that is identified is still very rarely used in the context of agricultural human resources and at the same time is an inherent character of Madurese farmers which is an interesting part for researchers to study more deeply and become new or authentic in this research.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.49 no.4
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• pp.240-248
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• 2016

Objectives: Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) adversely impacts food security in households of people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA). Little research has focused on food insecurity among PLWHA in India. The purpose of this study was to identify the prevalence of and factors relating to food security in households of PLWHA in the Siliguri subdivision of Darjeeling, West Bengal, India. Methods: A cross-sectional community-based study was carried out among 173 PLWHA residing in Siliguri and registered at the Anti-retroviral Therapy Centre of North Bengal Medical College & Hospital. Data was collected at the household level with interviews of PLWHA using a food security survey instrument. We analyzed the associations using logistic regression. Results: The prevalence of household food security among the participants was 50.9% (88/173). Five years or more of schooling, higher socioeconomic class and males were found to be significantly associated with a higher likelihood of food security. A later stage of the disease and the presence of other family members with HIV/AIDS were significantly associated with a lower likelihood of food security. The major coping strategies to deal with food insecurity in the acute phase HIV infection included borrowing money (56.1%), followed by spousal support, loans from microfinance institutions, banks, or money lenders, borrowing food, or selling agricultural products. Conclusions: The present study revealed that only about half of households with PLWHA were food secure. Prior interventions relating to periods of food and economic crisis as well as strategies for sustaining food security and economic status are needed in this area.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.94-105
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• 2022

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to investigate the association between socioeconomic status and chewing discomfort and identify the role of food insecurity in the association's causal pathway in a representative sample of Korean elders. MATERIALS/METHODS: We conducted cross-sectional analyses of the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2013-2015) data for elders aged ≥ 65 years. Socioeconomic status indicators used included household income and education level. Chewing discomfort was assessed according to the self-reported presence of chewing problems. Food security was surveyed using a questionnaire based on the US Household Food Security Survey Module. RESULTS: The odds ratios of chewing discomfort in the 1st and 2nd income quartiles were 1.55 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.15-2.10) and 1.40 (95% CI, 1.03-1.90), respectively, compared to participants in the highest income quartile. Participants with the lowest education level were 1.89 (95% CI, 1.30-2.75) times more likely to have chewing discomfort than those without chewing discomfort. After including food security in the final model, the logistic coefficients were attenuated in the income and education quartiles. CONCLUSIONS: Low socioeconomic status was associated with chewing discomfort. In addition, the results confirm that food insecurity can mediate the association between socioeconomic inequalities and chewing discomfort among the elderly.