[Food consumption surveillance]

This paper analyzes the importance of food consumption surveillance; as food consumption is determined by multiple factors, the difficulties involved in this process are established. Some direct methods used for food consumption assessment and other indirect methods that can be used to infer it, are analyzed and discussed in terms of their advantages and disadvantages. Other methods based on the follow up of food basket cost and purchasing capacity of poor population wages in terms of some selected food commodities, are proposed. The importance of food consumption surveillance as an instrument for decision making is pointed out.