Households food security and perception of food nutrition in Enugu State, Nigeria

Abstract

The study used household data from 240 randomly selected respondents to assess the food and nutrition security of households in Enugu State. The Household Food Insecurity Access Scale (HFIAS) and Household Dietary Diversity Score (HDDS) were used to describe households’ food security levels. Descriptive statistics, such as percentages, were also utilized to describe households' food sources, as well as their understanding of food nutrition and balanced diet, while the Likert scale was employed to identify the variables influencing their food choices. Only 30% of the respondents were food secure. The mean score of the dietary diversity of households was 5.95 out of 12. The respondents had little or no knowledge of food nutrition and balanced diet. Educational programmes on food and nutrition security should be conducted and encouraged by extension agents, governments and non-governmental agencies to enlighten households.