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HERO ID
6625808
Reference Type
Journal Article
Title
An adapted version of the US department of agriculture food insecurity module is a valid tool for assessing household food insecurity in Campinas, Brazil
Author(s)
Perez-Escamilla, R; Segall-Correa, AM; Maranha, LK; Sampaio, MDA; Marin-Leon, L; Panigassi, G
Year
2004
Is Peer Reviewed?
Yes
Journal
Journal of Nutrition
ISSN:
0022-3166
EISSN:
1541-6100
Publisher
OXFORD UNIV PRESS
Location
OXFORD
Volume
134
Issue
8
Page Numbers
1923-1928
Language
English
PMID
15284377
DOI
10.1093/jn/134.8.1923
Web of Science Id
WOS:000223437100013
URL
http:///www.oxfordjournals.org
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Abstract
Until recently, Brazil did not have a national instrument with which to assess household food insecurity (FI). The objectives of this study were as follows: 1) to describe the process of adaptation and validation of the 15-item USDA FI module, and 2) to assess its validity in the city of Campinas. The USDA scale was translated into Portuguese and subsequently tested for content and face validity through content expert and focus groups made up of community members. This was followed by a quantitative validation based on a convenience (n = 125) and a representative (n = 847) sample. Key adaptations involved replacing the term "balanced meal" with "healthy and varied diet," to construct items as questions rather than statements, and to ensure that respondents understood that information would not be used to determine program eligibility. Chronbach's alpha was 0.91 and the scale item response curves were parallel across the 4 household income strata. FI severity level was strongly associated in a dose-response manner (P < 0.001) with income strata and the probability of daily intake of fruits, vegetables, meat/fish, and dairy. These findings were replicated in the 2 independent survey samples. Results indicate that the adapted version of the USDA food insecurity module is valid for the population of Campinas. This validation methodology has now been replicated in urban and/or rural areas of 4 additional states with similar results. Thus, Brazil now has a household food insecurity instrument that can be used to set national goals, to follow progress, and to evaluate its national hunger and poverty eradication programs.
Keywords
Brazil; household food insecurity; Fome Zero program; hunger; USDA food insecurity module
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