MEASUREMENT AND DISTRIBUTION OF HOUSEHOLD FOOD INSECURITY IN AN EASTERN DISTRICT IN ASSAM: A CROSS SECTIONAL STUDY

Background: Food security is a crucial determinant of the development of a nation. The household food security is seen to be influenced by a multitude of factors in various studies, But most of these studies were done in affluent nations or in random households. This study focuses on households with small children. Objectives: To assess household food insecurity and its related factors in preschool children in Dibrugarh district. Methods : Cross sectional study among 510 randomly selected children attending AWCs in each of the 8 ICDS blocks in Dibrugarh was done. Data on socio-demographic details Household Food Insecurity was obtained. Results: Only 44.5% (227) households among the surveyed 510 households were categorized as food secure and 67 (13.1%) households as having severe food insecurity. Food security of the household was significantly associated with the socio-economic class of the household as well as the literacy status of the parents of the surveyed children. Conclusions: Food insecurity is common in study population. Along-with access to food, an integrated approach that improves the overall socioeconomic well-being of families and parental education is needed.