The Latin American Household Food Security Measurement Scale (ELCSA) was used to determine food security status in Honduran families with children ages 6 to 60 months

The ELCSA survey was used to determine food security status in Santa Maria and Montaña de la Flor health regions. Households with children ages 6–60 months were randomly selected to participate. The level of food security was determined using the positive responses to the 15 question survey: no positive responses defined food secure, 1–5 defined food insecure, 6–10 defined very food insecure, and 11–15 defined severely food insecure. Within the 140 participating households, 11% of the households were food secure; 14% food insecure, 23% very food insecure, and 53% severely food insecure. Food insecurity was significantly (p ≤ 0.05) associated with having an underweight child (weight‐for‐age z‐score <−2) and telephone ownership; very food insecure with gender of child, living >; one hour from health clinic, electricity, and number of rooms in the house; and severe food insecurity with having an underweight child, child gender, telephone, number of rooms in the house, receiving food assistance, and electricity. Within the rural regions of Honduras evaluated, a very high prevalence of food insecurity exists and is associated with a variety of demographic and socioeconomic factors. These results will assist the Honduran Ministry of Health in directing resources to the heath regions most in need of assistance. Grant Funding Source : USDA NIFA Competitive Grant 2011 67002 30202 and USDA, SD Agricultural Experiment Station Grant SD00H249–08