IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/p/fpr/fcndbr/136.html

Dietary diversity as a food security indicator

Author

Listed:
  • Hoddinott, John
  • Yohannes, Yisehac

Abstract

Household food security is an important measure of well-being. Although it may not encapsulate all dimensions of poverty, the inability of households to obtain access to enough food for an active, healthy life is surely an important component of their poverty. Accordingly, devising an appropriate measure of food security outcomes is useful in order to identify the food insecure, assess the severity of their food shortfall, characterize the nature of their insecurity (for example, seasonal versus chronic), predict who is most at risk of future hunger, monitor changes in circumstances, and assess the impact of interventions. However, obtaining detailed data on food security status—such as 24- hour recall data on caloric intakes—can be time consuming and expensive and require a high level of technical skill both in data collection and analysis. This paper examines whether an alternative indicator, dietary diversity, defined as the number of unique foods consumed over a given period of time, provides information on household food security. It draws on data from 10 countries (India, the Philippines, Mozambique, Mexico, Bangladesh, Egypt, Mali, Malawi, Ghana, and Kenya) that encompass both poor and middle-income countries, rural and urban sectors, data collected in different seasons, and data on calories acquisition obtained using two different methods. ....[D]ietary diversity would appear to show promise as a means of measuring food security and monitoring changes and impact, particularly when resources available for such measurement are scarce.

Suggested Citation

  • Hoddinott, John & Yohannes, Yisehac, 2002. "Dietary diversity as a food security indicator," FCND briefs 136, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
    • Handle: RePEc:fpr:fcndbr:136
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.ifpri.org/sites/default/files/publications/fcnbr136.pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    Other versions of this item:

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Datt, Gaurav & Dava, Gabriel & Mukherjee, Sanjukta & Simler, Kenneth, 2000. "Determinants of poverty in Mozambique (1996-97)," FCND discussion papers 78, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
    2. Gaurav Datt & Dean Jolliffe & Manohar Sharma, 2001. "A Profile of Poverty in Egypt," African Development Review, African Development Bank, vol. 13(2), pages 202-237.
    3. Hoddinott, John & Skoufias, Emmanuel, 2004. "The Impact of PROGRESA on Food Consumption," Economic Development and Cultural Change, University of Chicago Press, vol. 53(1), pages 37-61, October.
    4. Subramanian, Shankar & Deaton, Angus, 1996. "The Demand for Food and Calories," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 104(1), pages 133-162, February.
    5. Alderman, Harold & Lindert, Kathy, 1998. "The Potential and Limitations of Self-Targeted Food Subsidies," The World Bank Research Observer, World Bank, vol. 13(2), pages 213-229, August.
    6. Bouis, Howarth E. & Novenario-Reese, Mary Jane G., 1997. "The determinants of demand for micronutrients: an analysis of rural households in Bangladesh," FCND discussion papers 32, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
    7. Ahiadeke, Clement & Armar-Klemesu, Margaret & Levin, Carol E. & Maxwell, Daniel G. & Morris, Saul Sutkover & Ruel, Marie T., 2000. "Urban livelihoods and food and nutrition security in Greater Accra, Ghana," Research reports 112, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
    8. Zeller, Manfred, 1994. "Determinants of credit rationing: A study of informal lenders and formal credit groups in Madagascar," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 22(12), pages 1895-1907, December.
    9. Stefan Dercon & Pramila Krishnan, 2000. "In Sickness and in Health: Risk Sharing within Households in Rural Ethiopia," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 108(4), pages 688-727, August.
    10. Bouis, Howarth E., 1994. "Agricultural technology and food policy to combat iron deficiency in developing countries," FCND discussion papers 1, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
    11. Cogill, Bruce & Kennedy, Eileen T., 1987. "Income and nutritional effects of the commercialization of agriculture in southwestern Kenya," Research reports 63, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
    12. Behrman, Jere R & Deolalikar, Anil B, 1987. "Will Developing Country Nutrition Improve with Income? A Case Study for Rural South India," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 95(3), pages 492-507, June.
    13. Bouis, Howarth E., 1994. "Agricultural technology and food policy to combat iron deficiency in developing countries," FCND discussion papers 1, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
    14. Strauss, J. & Thomas, D., 1995. "Empirical Modeling of Household and Family Decisions," Papers 95-12, RAND - Reprint Series.
    15. Haddad, Lawrence & Kennedy, Eileen & Sullivan, Joan, 1994. "Choice of indicators for food security and nutrition monitoring," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 19(3), pages 329-343, June.
    16. T. D. Stanley, 2001. "Wheat from Chaff: Meta-analysis as Quantitative Literature Review," Journal of Economic Perspectives, American Economic Association, vol. 15(3), pages 131-150, Summer.
    17. Datt, Gaurav & Jolliffe, Dean & Sharma, Manohar, 1998. "A profile of poverty in Egypt: 1997," FCND discussion papers 49, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Haddad, Lawrence J. & Ahmed, Akhter U., 2002. "Avoiding chronic and transitory poverty: evidence from Egypt, 1997-1999," FCND discussion papers 133, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
    2. Gutner, Tammi, 1999. "The political economy of Food subsidy reform in Egypt," FCND briefs 1, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
    3. Ahmed, Akhter U. & Bouis, Howarth E., 2002. "Weighing what's practical: proxy means tests for targeting food subsidies in Egypt," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 27(5-6), pages 519-540.
    4. Skoufias, Emmanuel, 2002. "The sensitivity of calorie-income demand elasticity to price changes: evidence from Indonesia," FCND discussion papers 141, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
    5. Ahmed, Akhter U. & Bouis, Howarth E., 2002. "Weighing what's practical: proxy means tests for targeting food subsidies in Egypt," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 27(5-6), pages 519-540.
    6. Coady, David & Grosh, Margaret & Hoddinott, John F., 2002. "Targeting outcomes redux," FCND briefs 144, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
    7. Tarp, Finn & Simler, Kenneth & Matusse, Cristina & Heltberg, Rasmus & Dava, Gabriel, 2002. "The Robustness of Poverty Profiles Reconsidered," Economic Development and Cultural Change, University of Chicago Press, vol. 51(1), pages 77-108, October.
    8. Popkin, Barry M. & Horton, Susan & Kim, Soowon, 2001. "The nutritional transition and diet-related chronic diseases in Asia: implications for prevention," FCND discussion papers 105, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
    9. Coady, David & Grosh, Margaret & Hoddinott, John F., 2002. "Targeting outcomes redux," FCND briefs 144, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
    10. Popkin, Barry M. & Horton, Susan & Kim, Soowon, 2001. "The nutritional transition and diet-related chronic diseases in Asia: implications for prevention," FCND discussion papers 105, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
    11. Emmanuel Skoufias & David P. Coady, 2007. "Are the Welfare Losses from Imperfect Targeting Important?," Economica, London School of Economics and Political Science, vol. 74(296), pages 756-776, November.
    12. Ruel, Marie T. & Menon, Purnima, 2002. "Creating a child feeding index using the demographic and health surveys: an example from Latin America," FCND discussion papers 130, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
    13. Tarp, Finn & Simler, Kenneth & Matusse, Cristina & Heltberg, Rasmus & Dava, Gabriel, 2002. "The Robustness of Poverty Profiles Reconsidered," Economic Development and Cultural Change, University of Chicago Press, vol. 51(1), pages 77-108, October.
    14. Carter, Michael R. & Maluccio, John A., 2003. "Social Capital and Coping with Economic Shocks: An Analysis of Stunting of South African Children," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 31(7), pages 1147-1163, July.
    15. Ruel, Marie T. & de la Briere, Benedicte & Hallman, Kelly & Quisumbing, Agnes R. & Coj de Salazar, Nora, 2002. "Does subsidized childcare help poor working women in urban areas? evaluation of a government-sponsored program in Guatemala City," FCND discussion papers 131, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
    16. Haddad, Lawrence J. & Alderman, Harold & Appleton, Simon & Song, Lina & Yohannes, Yisehac, 2002. "Reducing child undernutrition: how far does income growth take us?," FCND briefs 137, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
    17. Haddad, Lawrence & Maluccio, John A, 2003. "Trust, Membership in Groups, and Household Welfare: Evidence from KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa," Economic Development and Cultural Change, University of Chicago Press, vol. 51(3), pages 573-601, April.
    18. Haddad, Lawrence J. & Alderman, Harold & Appleton, Simon & Song, Lina & Yohannes, Yisehac, 2002. "Reducing child undernutrition: how far does income growth take us?," FCND discussion papers 137, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
    19. Haddad, Lawrence J. & Adato, Michelle, 2001. "How effectively do public works programs transfer benefits to the poor? evidence from South Africa," FCND discussion papers 108, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
    20. Skoufias, Emmanuel & Parker, Susan W., 2002. "Labor market shocks and their impacts on work and schooling: evidence from urban Mexico," FCND discussion papers 129, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:fpr:fcndbr:136. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: the person in charge (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/ifprius.html .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.