Relationship of household food insecurity and anemia in children receiving the benefit from food assistance programs in San Luis Potosi, Mexico

Abstract

ObjectiveTo investigate the association of household food insecurity in children with anemia beneficiaries of food assistance programs.Methods: Within the Study of Impact evaluation of Food assistance Programs (FAP) in San Luis Potosi, México we obtained information from 1366 households with children (<5y) beneficiaries of one out of the three FAP: Prospera (before Oportunidades); School Breakfast Program (DIF); Rescue to Malnutrition with amaranth; and Control group. We used the Latin American and Caribbean Household Food Security measurement scale (ELCSA). Anemia in children was determined with the cut‐off values <110 g/L.The effect of FAP and the food insecurity (FI) level on the prevalence of anemia in children, a logistic regression model was constructed. Stunting, socioeconomic level, age, and sex were included in the model as corrective variables.Results: The prevalence of anemia increased when children were stunted (p=0.001) A higher socioeconomic index and major age were protective for the probability of anemia. Significant interactions were observed between Prospera and mild food insecurity level (p=0.095) and between anemia and DIF and mild insecurity (p=0.009) in children.Conclusions29.3% of the children from households with FI suffered anemia and the probability of being anemic increased if the children were stunted. Households with anemic children that did not receive assistance were more food secure than those that did.Supported by FOMIX, SLP‐COPOCYT.Project: FMSLP‐213‐CO2‐208475