Objective:

To assess changes in the magnitude of food insecurity (FI) in Mexican households in poverty from 2012 to 2018 and to analyze the association of FI with the access, availability and consumption of food.

Materials and methods:

Data on 4 464 households were drawn from the Encuesta Nacional de Salud y Nutrición in Mexican localities under 100 000 inhabitants (Ensanut 100k). We measured FI according to the Latin American and Caribbean Food Security Scale and analyzed food access and availability on the basis of food expenditures while consumption through dietary diversity among women. Using multiple logistic regression models, we estimated: the association between FI and expenditures for food groups, and the association between FI and dietary diversity.

Results:

Moderate and severe FI remained stable at 43% from 2012 to 2018. Larger expenditures on sugar, oil and on eating out as well as meat and dairy products consumption were associated with a lower possibility of FI.

Conclusions:

It is important to integrate different dimensions of FI in order to reinforce its measurement and monitoring.

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