Use of Formal and Informal Food Resources by Food Insecure Families in Lima, Peru: A Mixed-Methods Analysis.

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Nutrition Science
• Socioeconomic Studies

Background:

• Food insecurity remains a significant challenge for low-income families globally.
• Understanding resource utilization is crucial for effective food security interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To measure food insecurity in families with children in Lima, Peru.
• To identify formal and informal food resources influencing food security status.

Main Methods:

• Mixed methods approach utilizing data from 329 randomly selected households.
• Data collection occurred in June-July 2019 in Villa El Salvador, Lima, Peru.

Main Results:

• Household use of food assistance programs (FAPs) increased with food insecurity levels.
• Informal food resources like credit purchases and external aid were also increasingly used by food-insecure households.
• Reasons for FAP use varied: financial need for insecure households, automatic enrollment for secure households.

Conclusions:

• Food assistance programs (FAPs) are utilized differently based on household food security status.
• Programmatic improvements should focus on offering nutritious, preferred foods and standardizing enrollment criteria.
• Addressing financial needs and simplifying access are key to enhancing FAP effectiveness.