OBJECTIVE:
To assess the food (in)security situation in families with children under five years of age living in socially vulnerable areas and its association with the children's biological characteristics and health status, and with the family's socioeconomic context.
METHODS:
This cross-sectional study involved 76 families with children under five years of age and a family member who formerly collected recyclable items at the inactive Campina Grande landfill, Paraíba, Brazil. Food security was evaluated according to the Brazilian Food Insecurity Scale. The association between the food insecurity situation and the children's socioeconomic characteristics was investigated by multiple analysis methods.
RESULTS:
Moderate (34.2%) and severe (32.4%) food insecurity prevailed among 96.1% of the families. Families with children who had lost weight in the last 15 days and had not collected garbage during that period were 9.49 times more susceptible to moderate food insecurity (IC95%=1.95-46.26) and 6.71 times more susceptible to severe food insecurity (IC95%=1.34-33.59).
CONCLUSION:
The high vulnerability of this population is reflected in conditions of food insecurity associated with social and health statuses that need to be investigated to ensure the human right to adequate food.
Food and nutrition security; Social exclusion; Socioeconomic factors