Data from: Dietary patterns and household food insecurity in rural populations of Kilosa District, Tanzania

Introduction: Few studies have investigated the relationship between dietary pattern and household food insecurity. The objective of the present analysis was to describe the food consumption patterns and to relate these with the prevalence of food insecurity in the context of a rural community. Methodology: Three hundred and seven (307) randomly selected households in Kilosa district participated in the study. Data were collected during the rainy season (February–May) and post harvest season (September–October) in the year 2011. Food consumption pattern was determined using a 24-h dietary recall method. Food insecurity data were based on the 30 day recall experience to food insecurity in the household. Factor analysis method using Principal Components extraction function was used to derive the dietary patterns and correlation analysis was used to establish the existing relationship between household food insecurity and dietary patterns factor score. Results: (I) Meat and milk; (II) Pulses, legumes, nuts and cooking oils; (III) fish (and other sea foods), roots and tubers; (IV) Cereals, vegetables and fruits consumption patterns were identified during harvest season. Dietary patterns identified during the rainy season were as follows: (I) Fruits, cooking oils, fats, roots and tubers (II) Eggs, meat, milk and milk products (III) Fish, other sea foods, vegetables, roots and tubers and (IV) Pulses, legumes, nuts, cereals and vegetables. Household food insecurity was 80% and 69% during rainy and harvest–seasons, respectively (P=0.01). Household food insecurity access scale score was negatively correlated with the factor scores on household dietary diversity. Conclusion: Food consumption patterns and food insecurity varied by seasons with worst scenarios most prevalent during the rainy season. The risk for inadequate dietary diversity was higher among food insecure households compared to food secure households. Effort geared at alleviating household food insecurity could contribute to consumption of a wide range of food items at the household level.

引言：目前鲜有研究探讨膳食模式与家庭粮食不安全之间的关联。本分析旨在描述农村社区背景下的食物消费模式，并探究其与粮食不安全患病率的关联。
方法：本研究纳入了基洛萨（Kilosa）地区随机选取的307户家庭。研究数据采集于2011年的雨季（2月至5月）与收获季后（9月至10月）。采用24小时膳食回顾法（24-h dietary recall）确定食物消费模式；家庭粮食不安全数据则基于受访者对过去30天内家庭粮食不安全经历的回顾。本研究采用以主成分提取（Principal Components extraction）为基础的因子分析方法推导膳食模式，并通过相关分析明确家庭粮食不安全与膳食模式因子得分之间的关联。
结果：收获季共识别出四类食物消费模式：(I) 肉类与奶类；(II) 豆类、豆科作物、坚果与食用油；(III) 鱼类（及其他海产品）与根茎类作物；(IV) 谷类、蔬菜与水果。雨季识别出的膳食模式如下：(I) 水果、食用油、脂肪、根茎类作物；(II) 蛋类、肉类、奶类及奶制品；(III) 鱼类、其他海产品、蔬菜与根茎类作物；(IV) 豆类、豆科作物、坚果、谷类与蔬菜。雨季与收获季后的家庭粮食不安全率分别为80%与69%（P=0.01）。家庭粮食不安全获取量表（Household Food Insecurity Access Scale）得分与家庭膳食多样性因子得分呈负相关。
结论：食物消费模式与粮食不安全程度随季节存在差异，雨季的情况最为严峻。与粮食安全家庭相比，粮食不安全家庭面临膳食多样性不足的风险更高。旨在缓解家庭粮食不安全的相关举措，有助于提升家庭食物消费的多样性。