Economic income and dietary diversity as factors linked with food security in households with Universal Allocation Per Child (AUH)

Abstract

Abstract: 

Introduction: States governments must guarantee the food rights in social groups whose economic income is unstable and insufficient to ensure food security (SA).

Objective: To analyse economic income and food diversity as factors associated with SA in households with AUH in the Estaciòn Flores neighborhood, Córdoba, Argentina. Year 2019.

Resources and method: Observational, descriptive, cross-sectional study. Population: Total households with AUH (N = 209). Sample: 136 households (CI: 95%). Each participant gave their informed consent and the principles of the Declaration of Helsinki were respected. A semi-structured questionnaire designed ad hoc was tested and applied.Sociodemographic variables were collected: composition of the household, gender, age and educational level of the main breadwinner (PSH); socioeconomic: PSH labor market and total household income (ITH); and food: food diversity and food expenses. Based on the ITH and current values ​​of the BFT and BFA, households were classified as non-poor, poor and indigent. Dietary diversity was categorized as adequate, acceptable and low according to FAO (2013). The situation of households before the SA adopted 3 categories: SA full, SA unstable and food insecurity (IA); These were determined by the proportion of ITH allocated to food expenses according to Figueroa Pedraza (2005). The association between variables was assessed with Chi-squared test in categorical and Pearson's correlation coefficient in measurable, assuming a significance level of p <0.05

Results: The situation of the sample before the SA got the following percentage distribution: 69% SA unstable; 22% AI; and 9% full SA. Dietary diversity showed a significant association with the situation of the household before AS (p <0.05). Of the total sample, 54% were below the poverty index and 46% below the indigence index. In indigent homes, AUH represented ≥40% of the ITH (p <0.05). It was also evidenced that the lower the ITH, the greater the proportion of income assigned to food expenses (p <0.05).

Conclusions: Monetary income constitutes a barrier to economic access to sufficient food in terms of quality and variety, affecting the SA of the studied population