Household Food Security, Hunger, and Dietary Diversity and Quality in Rural Farming Communities in the Ecuadorian High Andes

Little is known about household food security (HFS), hunger, and dietary diversity and quality in rural indigenous farming groups in the Ecuadorian High Andes. We conducted a pilot survey to explore these issues in four rural subsistence farming communities in the Ecuadorian Central Andean highlands. Data were collected from a convenience sample of 113 households (~12% of local households) using the USDA Household Food Security Scale Module, FAO Household Hunger Scale, and a semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire adapted for local foods. Garlic cultivation constituted the main source of monthly cash income (US$39 ± 34.3) for most of the subsistence farming households. Households reported experiencing marginal (23%), low FS (27.4%) and very low HFS (49.6%) during the previous 12-months. Six-tenths reported moderate (35.4%) or severe hunger (23.9%) during the past 4-weeks. Maternal education was inversely associated with food security (P=0.001) and hunger (P=0.006). The foods most frequently consumed daily were potatoes (62.5%), carrots (58.5%), and bread (35.4%). Compared to marginally food secure households, those with moderate or severe HFS reported reduced average weekly consumption of high-quality animal protein foods: meats (6.4 ± 8.3 vs. 4.3 ± 4 vs. 2.7 ± 3.4; P=0.01), fish (4.9 ± 3.6 vs. 2.4 ± 2.5 vs. 0.9 ± 1.4; P=0.03), eggs (2.6 ± 3.8 vs. 1.2 ± 2 vs. 0.8 ± 1.5; P=0.02) and plant-based legume proteins (2.6 ± 3.8 vs. 1.2 ± 2 vs. 0.8 ± 1.4; P=0.008). These findings are being used to plan comprehensive community-based interventions in the local area.