Fatores associados ao nível de segurança alimentar e nutricional no município e estado de São Paulo e no Brasil: uma análise dos resultados obtidos pela escala brasileira de insegurança alimentar / Food and nutritional security level associated factors in the city and state of São Paulo and in Brazil: an analysis of obtained results from the Brazilian food insecurity scale

A falta de segurança alimentar e nutricional (SAN) consiste em um fenômeno multifatorial, que pode afetar o estado nutricional do indivíduo por ela acometido de diversas maneiras e em qualquer faixa etária. A falta de SAN pode desencadear tanto desnutrição, como obesidade e assim favorecer o aumento da prevalência de doenças crônicas não transmissíveis, o que diminui a qualidade de vida e se constitui um importante problema de saúde pública. Objetivo: Analisar e comparar a força da associação dos fatores socioeconômicos e demográficos à segurança alimentar e nutricional (SAN) no Brasil e áreas geográficas selecionadas. Metodologia: Trata-se de um estudo ecológico, transversal e analítico, que utilizou como base os microdados da Pesquisa de Orçamento Familiar (POF/IBGE), realizada nos anos de 2017-2018, envolvendo 757 famílias residentes no município de São Paulo (MSP), 3.406 famílias do estado de São Paulo (ESP) e 49.365 famílias do Brasil. Utilizou-se a técnica de regressão logística multinomial, do tipo ordinal, para o processamento do modelo de associação entre o nível de SAN (nSAN) e as variáveis demográficas, socioeconômicas e clínicas, utilizando o módulo survey do Stata versão 14. Adotouse o nível de significância estatística de 5% e o odds ratio proporcional para descrever as associações. Resultados: A grande maioria dos indivíduos de referência dos domicílios componentes da amostra é do sexo masculino, adulta, com obesidade, sem seguro saúde e que não fazem nenhum tipo de dieta, variando as características de raça/cor e escolaridade entre as três localidades analisadas. Para as três localidades estudadas, encontrou-se proporções elevadas da população com segurança alimentar e nutricional garantida (acima de 59%). As associações encontradas demonstraram que as famílias com pessoas de referência do sexo feminino apresentam maior chance de piora do nSAN, bem como aquelas com menores níveis de saneamento básico e estratos de renda mais pobres, para os quais a chance de piora do nSAN em relação aos estratos de renda mais ricos se eleva em até 12 vezes. Ser de raça branca foi fator protetor à IAN, bem como ter idade mais avançada e mais anos de escolaridade. Conclusão: As características sociodemográficas sexo, raçacor, idade e escolaridade, e socioeconômicas, renda e presença de saneamento básico, apresentam importante associação ao nível de SAN das famílias, quando este é analisado por meio da Escala Brasileira de Insegurança Alimentar (EBIA). Entretanto, faz-se necessária a construção de um instrumento que avalie todas as dimensões da SAN

Lack of food and nutrition security (FNS) is a multifactorial phenomenon, which can impact the nutritional status of individual affected by it in different ways and in any age group. The lack of FNS can trigger both malnutrition and obesity and thus favor the prevalence increase of chronic non-communicable diseases, which reduces lifes quality and constitutes an important public health problem. Objective: To analyze and compare the strength of association of socioeconomic and demographic factors with FNS in Brazil and selected geographical areas. Methodology: Ecological, crosssectional, and analytical study, which used the microdata of the Research as a basis Family Budget (POF / IBGE), carried out in 2017-2018, involving 757 families residing in São Paulo city (SPC), 3,406 families from São Paulo state (SPS) and 49,365 families from Brazil. Multinomial logistic regression technique, of the ordinal type, was used to process the association model between the FNS level (FNSl) and the demographic, socioeconomic and clinical variables, using the survey module of Stata version 14. It was adopted statistical significance of 5% and proportional odds ratio to describe the associations. Results: Most reference individuals in the sample's households are male, adult, obese, without health insurance and who do not follow any type of diet, varying the characteristics of race / color and education between the three locations analyzed. For the three locations studied, high proportions of the population were found with guaranteed FNS (above 59%). Associations found showed that families headed by female individuals are more likely to worsen FNSl, as well as those with lower levels of basic sanitation and poorer income strata, for which the chance of worsening FNSl in relation to strata wealthier income rises to 12 times. Being white was a protective factor for food insecurity, as well as being older and with more years of schooling. Conclusion: Sociodemographic characteristics of sex, race-color, age and education, and socioeconomic, income and presence of basic sanitation, present important association at the FNSl of families, when this is analyzed through the Brazilian Food Insecurity Scale (EBIA). However, it is necessary to build an instrument that assesses all dimensions of the FNS

Is food store type associated with the consumption of ultra-processed food and drink products in Brazil?

OBJECTIVE: To analyse the association between food store type and the consumption of ultra-processed products in Brazil. DESIGN: Data from the 2008-2009 Household Budget Survey involving a probabilistic sample of 55 970 Brazilian households. Food stores were grouped into nine categories. Foods and drinks were grouped according to characteristics of food processing. The contribution of each food store type to the total energy acquired from each food processing group, and according to quintiles of consumption of ultra-processed products, was estimated. Exploratory factor analysis was conducted to identify a pattern of food store usage. Linear regression models were performed to estimate the relationship between the purchase pattern and the consumption of ultra-processed products. RESULTS: In line with their larger market share, supermarkets accounted for 59 % of total energy and participated most in acquisition for three food groups, with emphasis on ultra-processed products (60·4 % of energy). The participation of supermarkets in total purchase tended to increase in populations with higher consumption of ultra-processed products, while the participation of small markets and small producers tended to decrease. The purchase pattern characterized by use of traditional retail (street fairs and vendors, small markets, small farmers, butcheries) was associated with a smaller consumption of ultra-processed products. CONCLUSIONS: Food policies and interventions aiming to reduce the consumption of ultra-processed products should consider the influence of supermarkets on the consumption of these products. A purchase pattern based on traditional retail constitutes an important tool for promoting healthy eating in Brazil.

Availability, Price, and Quality of Fruits and Vegetables in 12 Rural Montana Counties, 2014.

We assessed the consumer food environment in rural areas by using the Nutrition Environment Measures Survey for Stores (NEMS-S) to measure the availability, price, and quality of fruits and vegetables. We randomly selected 20 grocery stores (17 rural, 3 urban) in 12 Montana counties using the 2013 US Department of Agriculture's rural-urban continuum codes. We found significant differences in NEMS-S scores for quality of fruits and vegetables; of 6 possible points, the mean quality score was 4.5; of rural stores, the least rural stores had the highest mean quality scores (6.0). Intervention strategies should aim to increase fruit and vegetable quality in rural areas.

Lack of Healthy Food in Small-Size to Mid-Size Retailers Participating in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota, 2014.

INTRODUCTION: The US Department of Agriculture has stocking criteria for healthy foods among Supplemental Nutrition Assistant Program (SNAP)-authorized retailers. Increased access to healthy food could improve diet quality among SNAP participants, which has implications for chronic disease prevention. The objective of this study was to quantify healthy foods stocked in small-size to mid-size retailers who are authorized under SNAP but not under the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC). METHODS: We used formative, cross-sectional data from a large policy evaluation to conduct secondary analyses. Store audits were conducted in 2014 in 91 randomly selected, licensed food stores in Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota. Supermarkets and retailers participating in WIC, which are required to stock healthy foods, were excluded as were other stores not reasonably expected to stock staple foods, such as specialty stores or produce stands. Availability of milk, fruits, vegetables, and whole-grain-rich foods was assessed. RESULTS: The 91 stores studied were corner stores, food-gas marts, dollar stores, and pharmacies. More than half carried 1 or more varieties of fat-free or low-fat milk, fresh or canned fruit, and whole-grain-rich cereal. However, only one-third stocked 1 or more varieties of fresh vegetables and only one-quarter stocked whole-grain-rich products, such as whole-grain-rich bread (26%) or tortillas (21%) or brown rice (25%). Few stores stocked at least 2 varieties of each product. CONCLUSIONS: Many stores did not stock a variety of healthy foods. The US Department of Agriculture should change policies to improve minimum stocking requirements for SNAP-authorized retailers.

A randomized controlled study of a healthy corner store initiative on the purchases of urban, low-income youth.

OBJECTIVE: Although many initiatives exist to improve the availability of healthy foods in corner stores, few randomized trials have assessed their effects. This study evaluated, in a randomized controlled trial, the effects of a first-generation healthy corner store intervention on students' food and beverage purchases over a 2-year period. METHODS: Participants (n = 767) were fourth-, fifth-, and sixth-grade students. Ten schools and their nearby corner stores (n = 24) were randomly assigned to the healthy corner store intervention or an assessment-only control. Intercept surveys directly assessed the nutritional characteristics of students' corner store purchases at baseline, 1 and 2 years. Students' weight and heights were measured at baseline, 1 and 2 years. RESULTS: There were no differences in energy content per intercept purchased from control or intervention schools at year 1 (P = 0.12) or 2 (P = 0.58). There were no differences between control and intervention students in BMI z score (year 1, P = 0.83; year 2, P = 0. 98) or obesity prevalence (year 1, P = 0.96; year 2, P = 0.58). CONCLUSIONS: A healthy corner store initiative did not result in significant changes in the energy content of corner store purchases or in continuous or categorical measures of obesity. These data will help to inform future interventions.

The geography of diabetes by census tract in a large sample of insured adults in King County, Washington, 2005-2006.

INTRODUCTION: Identifying areas of high diabetes prevalence can have an impact on public health prevention and intervention programs. Local health practitioners and public health agencies lack small-area data on obesity and diabetes. METHODS: Clinical data from the Group Health Cooperative health care system were used to estimate diabetes prevalence among 59,767 adults by census tract. Area-based measures of socioeconomic status and the Modified Retail Food Environment Index were obtained at the census-tract level in King County, Washington. Spatial analyses and regression models were used to assess the relationship between census tract-level diabetes and area-based socioeconomic status and food environment variables. The mediating effect of obesity on the geographic distribution of diabetes was also examined. RESULTS: In this population of insured adults, diabetes was concentrated in south and southeast King County, with smoothed diabetes prevalence ranging from 6.9% to 21.2%. In spatial regression models, home value and college education were more strongly associated with diabetes than was household income. For each 50% increase in median home value, diabetes prevalence was 1.2 percentage points lower. The Modified Retail Food Environment Index was not related to diabetes at the census-tract level. The observed associations between area-based socioeconomic status and diabetes were largely mediated by obesity (home value, 58%; education, 47%). CONCLUSION: The observed geographic disparities in diabetes among insured adults by census tract point to the importance of area socioeconomic status. Small-area studies can help health professionals design community-based programs for diabetes prevention and control.

Assessing the food environment of a rural community: baseline findings from the heart of New Ulm project, Minnesota, 2010-2011.

INTRODUCTION: Changes in the food environment in the United States during the past few decades have contributed to increased rates of obesity, diabetes, and heart disease. Improving the food environment may be an effective primary prevention strategy to address these rising disease rates. The purpose of this study was to assess the consumer food environment of a rural community with high rates of obesity and low levels of fruit and vegetable consumption. Findings were used to identify food environment intervention strategies to be implemented as part of a larger community-based heart disease prevention program. METHODS: We used the Nutrition Environment Measures Survey for Restaurants (NEMS-R) and Stores (NEMS-S) to assess 34 restaurants, 3 grocery stores, and 5 convenience stores in New Ulm, Minnesota. RESULTS: At least half of the restaurants offered nonfried vegetables and 100% fruit juice. Only 32% had at least 1 entrée or 1 main dish salad that met standards for "healthy." Fewer than half (41%) had fruit available and under one-third offered reduced-size portions (29%) or whole-grain bread (26%). Grocery stores had more healthful items available, but findings were mixed on whether these items were made available at a lower price than less healthful items. Convenience stores were less likely to have fruits and vegetables and less likely to carry more healthful products (except milk) than grocery stores. CONCLUSION: Baseline findings indicated opportunities to improve availability, quality, and price of foods to support more healthful eating. A community-wide food environment assessment can be used to strategically plan targeted interventions.

The foodscape: classification and field validation of secondary data sources across urban/rural and socio-economic classifications in England.

BACKGROUND: In recent years, alongside the exponential increase in the prevalence of overweight and obesity, there has been a change in the food environment (foodscape). This research focuses on methods used to measure and classify the foodscape. This paper describes the foodscape across urban/rural and socio-economic divides. It examines the validity of a database of food outlets obtained from Local Authority sources (secondary level & desk based), across urban/rural and socio-economic divides by conducting fieldwork (ground-truthing). Additionally this paper tests the efficacy of using a desk based classification system to describe food outlets, compared with ground-truthing. METHODS: Six geographically defined study areas were purposively selected within North East England consisting of two Lower Super Output Areas (LSOAs; a small administrative geography) each. Lists of food outlets were obtained from relevant Local Authorities (secondary level & desk based) and fieldwork (ground-truthing) was conducted. Food outlets were classified using an existing tool. Positive predictive values (PPVs) and sensitivity analysis was conducted to explore validation of secondary data sources. Agreement between 'desk' and 'field' based classifications of food outlets were assessed. RESULTS: There were 438 food outlets within all study areas; the urban low socio-economic status (SES) area had the highest number of total outlets (n = 210) and the rural high SES area had the least (n = 19). Differences in the types of outlets across areas were observed. Comparing the Local Authority list to fieldwork across the geographical areas resulted in a range of PPV values obtained; with the highest in urban low SES areas (87%) and the lowest in Rural mixed SES (79%). While sensitivity ranged from 95% in the rural mixed SES area to 60% in the rural low SES area. There were no significant associations between field/desk percentage agreements across any of the divides. CONCLUSION: Despite the relatively small number of areas, this work furthers our understanding of the validity of using secondary data sources to identify and classify the foodscape in a variety of geographical settings. While classification of the foodscape using secondary Local Authority food outlet data with information obtained from the internet, is not without its difficulties, desk based classification would be an acceptable alternative to fieldwork, although it should be used with caution.

Classification bias in commercial business lists for retail food stores in the U.S.

BACKGROUND: Aspects of the food environment such as the availability of different types of food stores have recently emerged as key modifiable factors that may contribute to the increased prevalence of obesity. Given that many of these studies have derived their results based on secondary datasets and the relationship of food stores with individual weight outcomes has been reported to vary by store type, it is important to understand the extent to which often-used secondary data correctly classify food stores. We evaluated the classification bias of food stores in Dun & Bradstreet (D&B) and InfoUSA commercial business lists. METHODS: We performed a full census in 274 randomly selected census tracts in the Chicago metropolitan area and collected detailed store attributes inside stores for classification. Store attributes were compared by classification match status and store type. Systematic classification bias by census tract characteristics was assessed in multivariate regression. RESULTS: D&B had a higher classification match rate than InfoUSA for supermarkets and grocery stores, while InfoUSA was higher for convenience stores. Both lists were more likely to correctly classify large supermarkets, grocery stores, and convenience stores with more cash registers and different types of service counters (supermarkets and grocery stores only). The likelihood of a correct classification match for supermarkets and grocery stores did not vary systemically by tract characteristics whereas convenience stores were more likely to be misclassified in predominately Black tracts. CONCLUSION: Researches can rely on classification of food stores in commercial datasets for supermarkets and grocery stores whereas classifications for convenience and specialty food stores are subject to some systematic bias by neighborhood racial/ethnic composition.

[Estimates of severe food insecurity in Brazilian municipalities]. / Estimativas de insegurança alimentar grave nos municípios Brasileiros.

Prevalence of severe food insecurity was estimated for Brazilian municipalities based on the 2004 National Household Sample Survey (PNAD). First, a logistic regression model was developed and tested with this database. The model was then applied to the 2000 census data, generating severe food insecurity estimates for the Brazilian municipalities, which were subsequently analyzed according to the proportion of families exposed to severe food insecurity. Severe food insecurity was mainly concentrated in the North and Northeast regions, where 46.1% and 65.3% of municipalities showed high prevalence of severe food insecurity, respectively. Most municipalities in the Central West region showed intermediate prevalence of severe food insecurity. There was wide intra-regional variation in severe food insecurity, while the South of Brazil showed the most uniform distribution. In conclusion, Brazil displays wide inter and intra-regional variations in the occurrence of severe food insecurity. Such variations should be identified and analyzed in order to plan appropriate public policies.

Exposure assessment at a PCDD/F contaminated site in Sweden--field measurements of exposure media and blood serum analysis.

BACKGROUND, AIM, AND SCOPE: The main pathway for human exposure to the highly toxic polychlorinated-p-dioxins and polychlorinated furans [polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs)] is via dietary intake. Other exposure pathways may, however, be important in close proximity to point sources, such as wood preservation sites, where PCDD/F contaminated chlorophenols (CP) were previously used. In this study, a heavily PCDD/F contaminated CP saw mill site in Sweden was investigated. Human exposure through a broad spectrum of exposure pathways was assessed. Such studies are in demand since the question whether contaminated sites represent a current or future risk can only be answered by detailed site-specific risk assessments. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Sampling of exposure media (soil, air, groundwater, raspberries, carrots, potatoes, grass, milk, eggs, and chicken fodder) was made. Exposure media concentrations and congener distribution patterns were used to investigate the mobilization of PCDD/Fs from soil to the environment and to calculate exposure levels for adults. Blood serum levels from site-exposed and control individuals were also analyzed. RESULTS: Congener distribution patterns at the site were generally dominated by a specific marker congener (1234678-HpCDF), which is highly abundant in the polluted soil. The dioxin toxic equivalents (TEQ) concentrations were notably elevated as compared to national reference samples for most exposure media, and the marker congener was a major contributor to increased TEQ levels. There were also indications of soil-to-air volatilization of tetra- and penta-CDD/Fs. People who participated in the restoration of a contaminated building showed higher levels of 1234678-HpCDF compared to controls, and calculated exposure levels suggest that several site-specific exposure routes may be of importance for the daily intake of PCDD/F. CONCLUSIONS, RECOMMENDATIONS, AND PERSPECTIVES: Despite low mobility of higher chlorinated PCDD/Fs, these contaminants were transferred from the polluted soil to the surroundings and into human tissue. The extent of increased exposure from contaminated sites depends on the PCDD/F source strength of the soil, composition of the pollution, human activities, and dietary patterns of the residents. Impact from the contaminated soil on other exposure media was seen also for areas with low to moderate soil contamination. In the future, not only the levels of PCDD/F soil pollution but also the composition must be considered in risk assessments of contaminated sites.

Measures of the food environment: a compilation of the literature, 1990-2007.

BACKGROUND: Valid and reliable measures are required to assess any effect of the food environment on individual dietary behavior, and form the foundation of research that may inform obesity-related policy. Although many methods of measuring the food environment exist, this area of research is still relatively new and there has been no systematic attempt to gather these measures, to compare and contrast them, or to report on their psychometric properties. EVIDENCE ACQUISITION: A structured literature search was conducted to identify peer-reviewed articles published between January 1990 and August 2007 that measured the community-level food environment. These articles were categorized into the following environments: food stores, restaurants, schools, and worksites. The measurement strategies in these studies were categorized as instruments (checklists, market baskets, inventories, or interviews/questionnaires) or methodologies (geographic, sales, menu, or nutrient analyses). EVIDENCE SYNTHESIS: A total of 137 articles were identified that included measures of the food environment. Researchers focused on assessing the accessibility, availability, affordability, and quality of the food environment. The most frequently used measure overall was some form of geographic analysis. Eighteen of the 137 articles (13.1%) tested for any psychometric properties, including inter-rater reliability, test-retest reliability, and/or validity. CONCLUSIONS: A greater focus on testing for reliability and validity of measures of the food environment may increase rigor in research in this area. Robust measures of the food environment may strengthen research on the effects of the community-level food environment on individual dietary behavior, assist in the development and evaluation of interventions, and inform policymaking targeted at reducing the prevalence of obesity and improving diet.

Measuring the food environment: state of the science.

The past decades have seen an increased interest in understanding how the environment affects population health. In particular, public health practitioners and researchers alike are eager to know how the food environments of neighborhoods, schools, and worksites affect food choices and, ultimately, population risk for obesity and other diet-related chronic disease. However, the measurement tools for assessing the environment and the employed study designs have limited our ability to gain important ground. The field has not yet fully considered the psychometric properties of the environmental measurement tools, or how to deal with the copious amounts of data generated from many environmental measures. The field is dominated by research using unsophisticated study designs and has frequently failed to see the role of social and individual factors and how they interrelate with the physical environment. This paper examines some of the measurement issues to be considered as public health practitioners and researchers attempt to understand the impact of the food environment on the health of communities and takes a broad look at where the science currently is with regard to how the food environment is measured, thoughts on what issues may benefit from more deliberate inspection, and directions for future work.

Physical, consumer, and social aspects of measuring the food environment among diverse low-income populations.

Obesity and other diet-related chronic diseases are directly related to the food environment. We describe how to better assess the food environment in specific ethnic minority settings for designing and implementing interventions, based on a review of our previous work on the food environment in American Indian reservations, Canadian First Nations reserves, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, and inner-city Baltimore. The types of food stores available within each setting and the range of healthy foods available varied greatly across these geographic regions. In all settings, proximity to food stores/supermarkets, cost, and limited availability of healthful foods were common features, which limited access to health-promoting food options. Features specific to each population should be considered in an assessment of the food environment, including physical (e.g., openness of stores, mix of types of food sources); consumer (e.g., adequacy of the food supply, seasonal factors); and social (e.g., inter-household food sharing, perceptions of food quality, language differences) aspects. The food environments common in low-income ethnic subpopulations require special focus and consideration due to the vulnerability of the populations and to specific and unique aspects of each setting.

Work group I: Measures of the food and physical activity environment: instruments.

A work group was convened to identify the core challenges, content gaps, and corresponding possible solutions for improving food- and physical activity-environment instrumentation. Identified challenges included instrument proliferation, the scaling or grain of instruments and appropriate aggregation to the neighborhood or community level, and unknown sensitivity to change of most instruments. Solutions for addressing these challenges included establishing an interactive and real-time instrument repository, developing and enforcing high standards for instrument reporting, increasing community-researcher collaborations, and implementing surveillance of food and physical activity environment. Solid instrumentation will accelerate a better understanding of food- and physical activity-environment effects on eating and physical activity behaviors.

Seguridad alimentaria en los hogares de Acandi: La disponibilidad de los alimentos como indicador de suficiencia alimentaria / Food security in households from Acandi: food availability as a mirror of food sufficiency

Objetivo: Analizar la variedad y suficiencia de alimentos disponibles en una semana en los hogares del área rural y urbana de Acandí, Chocó (Colombia). Tipo de estudio: Descriptivo de prevalencia. Metodología: Se estimó una muestra representativa, con una confianza del 95 por ciento y un error del 5 por ciento, constituida por 326 hogares, para indagar sobre los alimentos disponibles en el hogar en la última semana. Se analizó la diferencia de medias de alimentos diferentes disponibles según el área geográfica, la proporción de hogares con alimentos disponibles de cada grupo y el número de alimentos diferentes a su interior, la diferencia de medias de la disponibilidad en gramos per cápita/día de cada grupo y la adecuación promedio per cápita/día de está disponibilidad, según el área. Resultados: Para una semana la disponibilidad promedio de alimentos diferentes fue de 23±7 y 29±7 (p<0,001) en los hogares rurales y urbanos respectivamente. Una proporción alta de hogares urbanos y rurales dispusieron de todos los grupos, con baja variedad a su interior. La disponibilidad en gramos per cápita/día no presentó diferencias estadísticamente significantes entre el área rural y urbana, salvo en los grupos de leches (p<0,001), verduras (p=0,012), tubérculos y plátanos (p<0,001) y grasas (p<0,001), siendo la adecuación de esta disponibilidad baja, excepto para el grupo de azúcares y grasas. Conclusión: El hecho que los hogares de Acandí dispongan de todos los grupos de alimentos, no es condición suficiente para garantizar la seguridad alimentaria de sus integrantes, dada la poca variedad de alimentos que conforman cada grupo y la baja disponibilidad en gramos per cápita/día.

Reliability and validity of a short form household food security scale in a Caribbean community.

BACKGROUND: We evaluated the reliability and validity of the short form household food security scale in a different setting from the one in which it was developed. METHODS: The scale was interview administered to 531 subjects from 286 households in north central Trinidad in Trinidad and Tobago, West Indies. We evaluated the six items by fitting item response theory models to estimate item thresholds, estimating agreement among respondents in the same households and estimating the slope index of income-related inequality (SII) after adjusting for age, sex and ethnicity. RESULTS: Item-score correlations ranged from 0.52 to 0.79 and Cronbach's alpha was 0.87. Item responses gave within-household correlation coefficients ranging from 0.70 to 0.78. Estimated item thresholds (standard errors) from the Rasch model ranged from -2.027 (0.063) for the 'balanced meal' item to 2.251 (0.116) for the 'hungry' item. The 'balanced meal' item had the lowest threshold in each ethnic group even though there was evidence of differential functioning for this item by ethnicity. Relative thresholds of other items were generally consistent with US data. Estimation of the SII, comparing those at the bottom with those at the top of the income scale, gave relative odds for an affirmative response of 3.77 (95% confidence interval 1.40 to 10.2) for the lowest severity item, and 20.8 (2.67 to 162.5) for highest severity item. Food insecurity was associated with reduced consumption of green vegetables after additionally adjusting for income and education (0.52, 0.28 to 0.96). CONCLUSIONS: The household food security scale gives reliable and valid responses in this setting. Differing relative item thresholds compared with US data do not require alteration to the cut-points for classification of 'food insecurity without hunger' or 'food insecurity with hunger'. The data provide further evidence that re-evaluation of the 'balanced meal' item is required.