Household food security status of early adolescence in Colombo city

Abstract

Food insecurity is a leading public health problem in the world, and the food security status of Sri Lanka has not achieved better progress so far. The early adolescent period is more vulnerable to energy and nutrient deficiencies, and studies are lacking to determine food security during early adolescence. A cross-sectional study aimed to determine the food security status of early adolescents at 12 randomly selected schools in Colombo city. A total of 634 adolescents aged 11-13 years surveyed using a multistage stratified cluster sampling technique. Household food security status during the past 12 months was determined using USDA Food Security / Hunger Survey Module. Socio-demographic data were collected using a general questionnaire. The prevalence of food security was 61%, and food insecurity was 39%. The prevalence of food insecurity without hunger was 27%, food insecurity with moderate hunger was 10%, and food insecurity with severe hunger was 3%.