From food basket to food security. The food factor in nutritional surveillance

One important indicator of nutritional surveillance is the one devoted to monitor food security. The experience toward the development of one of such indicators is presented. This includes the development of a food basket, defined as the group of foods that meet the characteristics such as is now consumed by important population segments of the community; it contributes a substantial portion of the calories and proteins purchased, and is responsible for an important proportion of the food budget. The concept implies a dynamic food basket, the quantities of which are calculated in a way that simulates the behavior of the consumer and the best nutrition knowledge. For this purpose we use linear program techniques. A measure of the risk of being unable to buy the foods needed for a family is presented, and is used as a proxy for food security risk. In the appendix, the mathematical expressions of the model used for a linear program is also presented.