[Citizen perception of food insecurity in the city of Santa Fe]

The aim of this research study was to describe the perceived level of food security in the households of the city of Santa Fe, Argentina, in 2011. A descriptive, cross-sectional study was performed, incorporating 592 homes included in the Panel of Households of the Social Observatory of the Universidad Nacional del Litoral. Households were characterized sociodemographically and classified according to the level of food security by applying the Latin American and Caribbean Food Security Scale. Association with sociodemographical factors was determined by odds ratios and logistic regression. It was found that 31.5% of households in Santa Fe show food insecurity: 21.7% is mild, 7.4% is moderate and 2.4% is severe, and insecurity is greater when children live in the household. Food insecurity is positively associated with lack of health coverage, lack of economic activity, inability to save, incomplete secondary level education and four or more people living in the household.